Relacien
by Matanzo-El-Mono
Summary: 100 pairing oneshots. Any and all pairings. No slash or emo. Family, friendship, and romance. Current story: Transmission: Sometimes conversations aren't best had over the phone.  Spova
1. Please Hang On

**So, this is my first attempt at 100 oneshots. …Cool.**

**This is for Emerald Shapeshifter 777, because she requested it and because she granted my requests.**

**This is some straight up Chinmay(romance) and Chotto(Friendship).**

**Takes place after the destruction of the Worm.**

**I can't say I own SRMTHFG. BUT, I do own this oneshot. So yeah.**

Please Hang On

_Why? Why did I leave her alone?_ Chiro lay in his bed, staring up at the ceiling. The rest of the monkey team was doing their own activities: Sprx was polishing his magnets, Nova was sparring with Antauri, Gibson was doing something in his lab, and Otto was…actually, Chiro didn't know where Otto was. A sudden knock on his door provided the answer.

"Chiro, are you in there?" Chiro said nothing, hoping the green mechanic would let it go and walk away. Apparently, Otto had other plans.

"Chiro, are you in there?" Chiro sighed and called out.

"Yeah, Otto, I'm in here. What do you need?" The green monkey entered the room, smiling goofily as always.

"I was just wondering if you wanted to play a video game, your choice." Chiro sighed and shook his head.

"No thanks, Otto. I'm really not in the mood for anything like that." Otto's smile fell as he heard the guilt and despair in his young leader's voice. When the green monkey spoke his voice was heavy with concern.

"What's wrong, Chiro?" Chiro didn't say anything at first, instead staring at the ceiling again. Otto spoke again, just in case the boy hadn't heard him.

"Did you hear me, Chiro? I asked what's wrong." Chiro sighed for a third time, turning his attention to the green simian. Fear and guilt circulated in the boy's blue eyes.

"It's Jinmay. That message we got from her…" Otto understood, immediately feeling out of place. He wasn't used to dealing with other people's emotions. Antauri was the guy who handled that.

"Do you want to talk about it? I could go and get Antauri…" Chiro shook his head, causing Otto to slump over ever so slightly. "Oh, ok…" As the green primate turned to leave, Chiro called out.

"No, Otto, wait! I-I do want to talk about it." Otto turned his head around, right foot half out the door.

"Really?" Chiro simply nodded, but it was enough for Otto to turn around and close the door. The green monkey walked over to Chiro and sat on the bed next to him. The two sat in silence for awhile, each waiting for the other to speak. Finally, Chiro worked up the courage to begin.

"It's my entire fault, Otto. All mine." Otto looked confused when he replied.

"What's your fault, Chiro?" The black haired teen looked at Otto, tears forming in his eyes as he spoke.

"Jinmay, Otto! I left her alone to guard the entire planet!" Otto nodded in understanding, but Chiro continued his rant.

"An entire planet by herself! What was I thinking? We have a hard enough time with the six of us. What made me think she could handle it on her own? I'm not saying she's weak. She's one of the strongest people I know. But still…" Chiro turned to Otto; tears were now flowing down his face. Otto placed what he hoped was a comforting hand on Chiro's shoulder.

"You didn't leave her, Chiro. You simply trusted her with all your heart. Love makes you do that." Chiro turned to Otto, the tears beginning to abate.

"Y-you really think so, Otto?" Otto thought for a moment, thinking about all the times he had trusted his friends, who he loved dearly, to do something. He smiled and gave Chiro a thumbs-up.

"Sure do. And besides, who would have thought anything would happen to Shuggazoom when the Skeleton King wasn't there? Don't worry, Chiro. We'll get her back." Chiro smiled, pulling Otto into a hug.

"Thanks, Otto." Chiro let go of the green monkey, who then made his way out of the room. Chiro lay back down on his bed and stared at the ceiling again. He was suddenly very tired, and decided to go to sleep. His last coherent thought before dropping off into the land of dreams was this:

_I haven't shown you how much I love you, Jinmay. I have to do this, or I'll never forgive myself. I'll show you the first chance I get. So please, hang on._

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**Well, there you go. One down, 99 more to go. Please read, review, and request.**

**I NEED requests. If you have an idea or a pairing request, let me know. I'll do all of them, as long as it's not slash or emo. I just don't go there. Sorry.**

**Steelers and Halo 3 rock.**

**You may think you know, but you have no idea:**

**SAVE SEASON 5!**


	2. Different Language, Same Meaning

**Numero dos. I'm rolling now!**

**This is an Alchemist/Monkey Team (Family) pairing.**

**I may never own SRMTHFG. But I'll definitely never own drugs or alcohol. Word.**

**Enough talk.**

Different Language, Same Meaning

A tall, robed figure stood over a work table. He was wearing thick goggles that obscured his eyes from view and protected them from being struck by a spark. The man leaned closer to his work, soldering each part carefully. Everything had to be perfect. There was no room for error.

"Just a few more adjustments…" The robed man carefully brought the soldering iron near the wick, and was about to begin when a large crash caused him to whirl around.

"What now?" Six monkeys were gathered in one area of the man's lab. These monkeys were not ordinary, however. They were oddly colored: one red, one yellow, one green, one blue, one black, and one orange. But their colors weren't the only things that made them special. What truly set them apart from all other monkeys was the destiny these six had been chosen for. They were destined to stop a great evil. But one wouldn't guess it from the scene currently taking place.

The red and yellow monkeys were huddled together, staring fearfully at the orange one. This shouldn't have been such a bad thing, as the orange monkey always bullied the others. This time was different, however. This time, the orange monkey had out the energy sword the robed man had made for him.

"Mandarin, no!" The orange monkey swiped playfully at the yellow monkey, barely missing her tail. The yellow monkey squealed and hugged the red monkey tighter, which only seemed to strengthen the orange one's resolve. But as he brought back the sword for another pass, the red monkey screeched and tackled him. The two rolled around the lab, biting and kicking each other.

"SPRX-77, Mandarin, stop that this instant!" Mandarin, the orange monkey, pinned SPRX-77, the red monkey, to the ground, Mandarin's energy sword hovering dangerously close to the red monkey's throat. Sprx, as SPRX-77 was normally called, stared unafraid at Mandarin, hate blocking the fear he should be feeling. Mandarin smiled wickedly as he flicked his sword across Sprx's cheek, leaving a deep gash. The red monkey only snarled in response. Mandarin growled as he pulled back his sword.

"Ah!" The yellow monkey, named Nova, bull rushed Mandarin, sending him flying into the wall. Sprx smiled as Nova helped him up, which made Nova smile. The pair turned to see Mandarin rising from the round, a lump forming where he had smacked his head on the wall. Sprx and Nova growled at Mandarin, and vice-versa. The three monkeys rushed each other, but were thrown back by an unseen force.

"Ooh ooh ah ah!" The black monkey stood, or rather floated, between the fighting monkeys, hands held out. This monkey, named Antauri, had just used a mystical force, called the Power Primate, to push the monkeys apart. As Mandarin screeched at Antauri, the blue and green monkeys, Gibson and Otto respectively, came over to see what was happening. Almost at once, all the monkeys began to screech and yell. The robed man, known only as the Alchemist, lost control, the cacophony of sounds snapping his already tried nerves.

"SILENCE! SILENCE, I SAY! SHUT U- AH!" The Alchemist fell to the ground, holding his head. The evil inside of him was growing again, and his tried nerves wouldn't be able to control it this time.

_No! I haven't finished yet! They are not ready to face me yet!_ But it didn't matter. The true essence of evil had little care for this man's pleas. It simply wanted to consume, to control. To destroy.

* * *

"What have we done?" Antauri and the others watched in horror as the Alchemist fell to the floor, black mist rising from his body. 

"We've fried his nerves! He won't be able to subdue whatever it is that's consuming him!" Everybody turned to Gibson, their eyes wide with shock. Nova spoke, her voice filled with despair.

"No! No, we can't lose him!" Sprx put a friendly arm around Nova's shoulder, which normally would have earned the red monkey a slap across the face. This time, however, the yellow monkey turned to him and cried into his chest fur. Otto turned to Antauri, fear palpable in the normally carefree monkey's voice.

"Can't we do something, Antauri?" The black monkey closed his eyes, thinking.

"I believe we may be able to save him. He once told me that love is the most powerful force in the universe, except for hope. Maybe, just maybe, we can save him." The black monkey floated over to the tortured soul, hugging his right arm. The other monkeys followed suit, except for Mandarin, who stood a couple inches away, just in case.

The monkeys waited. And hoped.

_

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_

_Stop fighting it, human. This is a gift. Accept the power we're granting you, and you will become the most powerful being in your universe!_ The Alchemist felt as if his body and soul were being torn apart. The evil flame inside of him was burning away all the good will and hope the Alchemist had, and he didn't have the strength to put it out. It was over, he knew it. He was about to give in when he suddenly felt a little stronger.

_What is this?_ The alchemist opened his eyes with a great deal of effort. The sight that greeted him was astonishing. All his monkeys, even Mandarin, were surrounding him, trying to bring him back with nothing more than love. It gave the Alchemist the strength he needed.

_You will take me eventually, this is true. But not until I have finished my work!_ The evil voices and flames disappeared just as the Alchemist lost consciousness.

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The Alchemist opened his eyes to find himself lying on the floor, his monkeys surrounding him with worried expressions. He smiled when they noticed he was awake. 

"Well done, monkey team. Well done." The monkeys cheered as they threw themselves on him, happy that they hadn't lost him yet. The Alchemist smiled fondly, hugging them all close.

"I love you all so much." The monkeys answered back in their own language. And even though the two parties spoke different languages, the meaning was the same.

_I love you_.

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**Well, what did everybody think? I personally liked the way it turned out. And the ending, although cheesy, I believe worked out.**

**But what do you guys think? Please Read, Review, and Request.**

**The next update will be a Chitauri (Antauri/Chiro) father/son thing, as requested by storm of sparks.**

**Just so you guys know:**

**SAVE SEASON 5!**


	3. Don't Leave

**Oh yeah. Number 3.**

**This is a Chitauri, father/son oneshot. Takes place shortly after Savage Land Part 2.**

**This is for storm of sparks, per request.**

**In case anybody was wondering or cares, I'll explain my story title. Relacien is actually a combo of the words relations and cien, which means 100 in spanish. So, 100 relations!**

**Enjoy.**

Don't Leave

_He was back. But how long would he stay back? He had said he was back for good this time, but how could he really promise something like that? It didn't make sense to promise something that you really had no control over. But still, he had promised, right?_

These thoughts had been running through Chiro's mind ever since he and the monkey team had left Shuggazoom in pursuit of the Skeleton King Worm. They had lost Antauri prior, and Chiro had never felt so empty. He had had the other four monkeys, so he shouldn't have been so lonely. But he had been. And now that he had Antauri back, Chiro was determined to not only hang on to the now silver monkey, but to find out why he had felt so empty. The black haired youth knocked on Antauri's door, which swished open in response.

"Antauri?" The silver monkey snapped out of his meditative trance, smiling at the arrival of his young leader.

"Hello, Chiro. How are you today?" Chiro rubbed his right arm, smiling slightly.

"I'm fine. What about you? How's the new body working for you?" Antauri laughed slightly, standing up and making his way over to Chiro.

"The Alchemist himself couldn't have done a better job." Chiro smiled happily at the praise, but frowned when he remembered why he had come here.

"Antauri, I need to talk to you about something." The silver monkey's smile fell, replaced by a seriousness only Antauri could have.

"What is it, Chiro? I do sense you have some inner turmoil." Chiro sat down on the floor, Antauri doing the same. Chiro looked at the floor for awhile, trying to decide how to begin. Antauri waited patiently.

"It has to do with the time I was dead, doesn't it?" Chiro looked up, only partially surprised that the silver monkey had guessed it.

"Yeah, it does." Antauri motioned for Chiro to continue. Chiro took a deep breath and began.

"You see, Antauri, it's complicated. When I lost you, it was like losing a part of me. I had never felt so empty inside. I still had Sprx, Gibson, Nova, and Otto, but it wasn't enough." Antauri spoke.

"You had just lost a friend, Chiro. Depression is a common occurrence." Chiro shook his head.

"I thought that too, but no. The others didn't get all depressed. Sure, they all really missed you, but they leaned on each other for support and accepted it. I couldn't do that. I wasn't willing to accept it. Even when I was rebuilding you, and they all told me you were gone, I wouldn't believe it. Even when I told them I knew you were gone, it was a lie to both them and myself. Why was I so unwilling to accept it?" Chiro turned to the silver monkey, his eyes pleading for the answer. Antauri felt his heart splitting, finally realizing just how badly his death had affected the blue eyed teen.

"I am so sorry, Chiro. I never meant to hurt you so badly. Can you ever forgive me for what I did?" Chiro turned to Antauri, their eyes meeting. As one, the pair hugged each other, spilling out all of their emotion. Chiro finally understood.

"I've already forgiven you, Antauri. And now I know why I was so unwilling to accept your death." Antauri looked at Chiro, confusion written all over the silver simian's face.

"Why?" Chiro kissed Antauri on the forehead and hugged him close.

"It's because I had experienced that loneliness everyday of my childhood. It's because you're the closest thing to a father I've ever known. My love for you wouldn't allow me to accept the obvious truth." Antauri gasped, and if he wasn't a robot, he would have cried.

"I love you too, Chiro. You are the closest thing to a son I'll ever have, and I'll do anything to protect you. That's why I sacrificed myself." The two hugged for awhile, each unwilling to let the other go, lest they disappear forever. When they finally broke apart, Antauri rose, as if he was going to go.

"Don't leave, Antauri!" Antauri smiled fondly at Chiro, squeezing his hands affectionately.

"Didn't I tell you this already? I'm not leaving. I'm back. This time, for good."

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**Was that a little too cheesy or rushed? Let me know.**

**Hoped you liked it, storm of sparks. And all you other wonderful readers as well.**

**Please, read, review, and request. Especially review and request! I want your suggestions! Chapter 5 is going to be a Spova, as requested by AquaAngel13, and chapter 4 is going to be a Sprx/Nova/Mandarin triangle, as requested by Layla Fairy.**

**Yeah:**

**SAVE SEASON 5!**


	4. All's Fair in Love and War

**Number four. All's good.**

**This is a Sprx/Nova/Mandarin romance triangle, as requested by Layla Fairy.**

**Takes place shortly after Nova nearly destroys the robot after that freeze training by Mandarin.**

**Some mild swearing in this, but I think it fits.**

**Go!**

All's Fair in Love and War

Anger. Rage. Hate. Sprx had never really felt these emotions before. But he sure as hell felt them now. The red monkey stormed through the Super Robot, searching for the source of his target.

_Mandarin, I'm going to kill you for what you've done!_ Sprx meant it, too. The events of a few moments prior ran though his mind as he searched.

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_

_Sprx came hurtling into Sick Bay, concern all over his face._

"_What's going on, guys? I heard an explosion and-" The red monkey stopped mid-sentence, his gaze falling on the still form of Nova. His life seemed to crumble to pieces. "Is she-" Gibson shook his head, anticipating the question._

"_No, Sprx, thank heaven she isn't. She's simply unconscious." This settled Sprx's fears, but not by much._

"_But what happened? Why is she like this?" The black furred Antauri answered his question._

"_As far as we can tell, Mandarin was putting her through a rigorous temperature training session. When it got to cold, Nova lost control and her heating circuits overloaded. That was the explosions you heard." Sprx had only heard Mandarin's name, the rest of Antauri's word falling on deaf ears. As Sprx turned to leave, Otto called out._

"_Where are you going, Sprx? Aren't you going to stay until she wakes up?" Sprx didn't look back as he replied._

"_I've got something more important to take care of first." Without another word, Sprx was gone._

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"Mandarin!" Sprx burst into the orange monkey's room, anger and hatred burning in the red monkey's heart. Mandarin, who was silently meditating, didn't look back as he spoke. His voice was calm, but carried a dangerous edge. 

"You should knock on your leader's door instead of barging in." Sprx literally spat his reply.

"And leader's shouldn't try and kill their team members! What the hell were you thinking?" Mandarin stood up, turning to face Sprx as he spoke. Black and red eyes met, boring into each other.

"I was simply trying to make Nova the best she could be. One never knows what they may have to face, so they must be prepared. I only did it because I care." Sprx growled menacingly.

"Don't you _ever_ say you care about Nova! You hear me? _Never_!" Mandarin laughed, highly amused.

"Oh, did I strike a nerve? Is the big bad Sparky here to punish me?" Sprx took a step forward, his fists were clenched and his tail was curling and uncurling menacingly. He had never acted like this before.

"Damn right I am! And don't call me Sparky, jerk face!" Mandarin stopped laughing, settling into a battle stance as he spoke.

"Then let us begin, Sprx." Without another word, Mandarin launched himself at the red monkey, kicking him cleanly in the gut.

"Oomph!" Sprx slid back a few feet, clutching his stomach and breathing hard. That kick had knocked the wind out of him, and possibly cracked a rib. Mandarin stood a few feet away, taunting his wounded opponent.

"Aw, is that all you've got? No wonder Nova doesn't want anything to do with you." Sprx growled, lunging at the orange monkey. Mandarin easily jumped over the attack, kicking Sprx in the face as he passed.

"Ow." Sprx held his now broken nose, crimson blood mixing with his already red fur. Mandarin laughed sadistically.

"Oh, Sprx, you are truly the funny monkey! You actually believe you have a chance with Nova? Ha!" Sprx snarled as he rushed Mandarin, bringing his right arm back for a punch.

"Shud up, Manduhren!" Sprx punched at the orange monkey's face, but Mandarin caught it easily.

"You are indeed the weakest of the team, Sprx. What makes you think Nova, a warrior by nature, would sink as low as to choose you?" Mandarin kneed Sprx in the gut. As the red monkey fell to the ground, Mandarin spun around and smacked him in the face with his tail. Sprx sailed across the room, landing a few feet from the wall. He tried to rise, but found he didn't have the strength. Mandarin walked over and picked him up, repeatedly punching him in the face.

"Nova will never choose a pathetic worm like you, Sprx. If she chooses anybody, it will be me." Sprx spat a combination of blood, snot, and saliva in Mandarin's face as he replied.

"You! Wad makes you dink she would choose you?" Mandarin wiped the spit off of his face while simultaneously kneeing Sprx in the nether-region. The red monkey saw stars as he fell to the ground, gasping in pain. Mandarin paced around the wounded monkey, eventually kicking him in the side. As Sprx lay on his back, Mandarin positioned himself above the hurt monkey, drawing his energy blade as he spoke.

"She _will_ choose me because I am the strongest. A warrior such as herself can't chance being emotionally attached to somebody so weak. She will choose me because she will realize I am strong, and can make her strong as well." Sprx lost control of his body at this. The anger and hate that had been building inside of him had taken over.

"Over my dead body she will!' Sprx looped his tail around Mandarin's throat, choking the orange monkey furiously. As Mandarin prepared to slice off Sprx's tail with his blade, the red monkey tossed his orange opponent across the room. Before Mandarin had a chance to rise, Sprx was upon him. Never before had Mandarin had received such a brutal beating as he received on this day. When Sprx finally took a break from pounding on the orange monkey, he took a moment to survey the damage. It was satisfyingly extensive. Both of Mandarin's eyes were black, his nose was broken and bleeding profusely, he had multiple cuts on his lips and face, and he had several nasty bruises forming on his chest.

"What is the meaning of this?" Sprx and Mandarin turned to see Antauri standing in the doorway, his arms crossed. What a scene it must have been, Sprx pinning Mandarin's throat against the wall with one of his magnets while his other hand was reeled back, ready to strike. Antauri spoke again, his voice carrying the slightest of edges.

"I asked what the meaning of this is. Why is Sprx injured?" Antauri made no mention of the numerous injuries Mandarin had. Sprx smirked, shrugging as he let Mandarin go.

"Nothing, Antauri. Manduhren here wud jud teaching me an impordand lesson." As Sprx made his way towards the door, Mandarin called out.

"Would you mind sharing what I taught you today, Sprx?" The red monkey turned to face his leader, a smirk still on his face.

"That all's fair in love and war."

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**Well, how'd this one work for you guys? Please Read, Review, and Request!**

**Hope you liked it, Layla Fairy.**

**Next chapter will be Spova. WAHOO!**

**Just in case:**

**SAVE SEASON 5!**


	5. Garbage Day

**Chapter 5. Woot!**

**This is a Spova, as requested by AquaAngel13 and myself.**

**I was actually writing a different Spova story when this one came to me. In the shower. Weird.**

**Any way you want it:**

Garbage Day

Sprx put down his pen, reading what he had just written:

_Shall I compare thee to a Summer's Day?_

_No, I'm no poet_

_But you and Summer do have something in common_

_You're both hot_

_No, seriously, this isn't a joke_

_This is how I really feel, deep down in my heart_

_I know I'm a flirt_

_And a no good pervert_

_But I really mean what I say to you_

_I really like it when you smack or scold me_

_It let's me know that you accept my existence_

_But I wish you'd sometimes return my advances_

_Or give me a sign that you like them_

_Because then maybe_

_Just maybe_

_I'd have the strength to say_

_I love you_

_-SPRX-77_

"Garbage!" Sprx crumpled up the piece of paper and threw it into the little garbage bin. The red monkey banged his head on the desk, each bash accompanied by a word.

"Why. Can't. I. Write. Anything. Good!" A sudden knock on the door snapped the red monkey out of his, shall we say, constructive exercise. The voice of Gibson called from the other side of the door.

"Sorry to bother you, Sprx. But as you know, it's trash day." The red monkey sighed, hefting the can over to the door. The smiling face of Gibson greeted him when he opened the door. Sprx smirked as he handed the bag to Gibson, a jibe popping into the red monkey's head.

"Trash duty? Glad to see we're finally putting your talents to good use." Gibson glared at Sprx as he threw the trash back over his shoulder.

"How did you get that lump on your forehead, Sprx?" The red monkey tenderly touched the spot in question, the same spot he had been hammering on his desk with.

"I, um, hit it on my desk." Gibson snorted and spun on his heel.

"Klutz."

"Brainiac." Sprx closed his door and made his way back to his desk, where he tried to write something new. Nothing came to mind, so he decided to just take a nap instead. As he drifted off into a dreamless sleep, he couldn't help thinking he had forgotten something. If the red monkey hadn't bludgeoned himself with his desk, he might have remembered that he had put that poem in the trash can.

88888

Gibson walked down the hallway, running over some chemical formulas for an experiment he was working on.

"Now, if I combined Calcium, Zinc, and Argon, could I produce a manageable fuel source? No, but if I-oof!" Gibson fell backwards, having unwittingly wandered into Nova. Gibson hurried to his feet, helping Nova up with an embarrassed smile.

"My apologies, Nova, I didn't mean to run into you. I was just caught up in my calculations and…" Nova waved him off before he could continue.

"No problem, Gibson. Just try and pay more attention to where you're going, ok?" Gibson nodded as he picked up the trash bag, which caught Nova's attention. She pointed at the sack as she asked her question.

"What've you got there, Gibson?" The blue monkey gestured at the bag with a fake smile.

"Oh this? This is the sac of treasures one finds in Sprx's garbage can." Nova laughed as she held out her hand.

"Here, I'll take that for you, Gibson. You seem more interested in your science thing anyways." The blue monkey smiled as he handed the sac to the yellow female.

"Thanks, Nova. I shall not forget this. I believe I now owe you one?" Nova smiled and took off in the opposite direction of Gibson with the sac of trash. When she was safely away from everybody, the yellow monkey overturned the bag of trash and began to search frantically.

_Where is it? He always forgets at least one! Aha!_ Nova triumphantly pulled the scrap of yellow paper from the pile, holding it close to her. Scanning around to make sure she was really alone, Nova gathered all the trash back into the bag and made her way to her room.

88888

Nova closed and locked her door behind her, just in case. She set the trash bag down and made her way to a spot on the wall exactly opposite of her bed. She knocked three times on a little stain, which beeped in response.

"Hello, doll face." It was Sprx's voice.

"Hi, yourself."

"Password accepted." A small door slid open in the wall, revealing a compartment. It was completely empty, save for a single, unmarked book. Nova pulled this out and walked over to her bed, where she sat down. Looking around to make sure nobody was there, the yellow female smoothed out the piece of yellow paper. The red ink on it was still wet, which means he had just written it. Nova read it over and over again, especially the last three lines. After about the 100th time, Nova opened her book. It was filled with similar pieces of paper, all of them titled by Nova herself. As she placed the newest piece of her collection in its slot, she tried to think of an appropriate title. One came almost immediately.

"No Poet"

Nova smiled as she closed the book and held it close to her heart for awhile. She spoke softly, to nobody in particular.

"I hope you find the strength too, Sparky. I really do. Because then I might find it as well." Nova put the book back into its compartment, and then made her way to the dumpster. She knew she couldn't wait for the next Garbage Day.

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Loads of cheesy goodness in this one!**

**Please Read/Review/Request! All of them are appreciated!**

**Hope you liked it, AquaAngel13. And all of my fellow Spova shippers!**

**Next chapter is going to be an Antova, requested by her highness, the AnimeQueen17. All hail!**

**Peace out for now:**

**SAVE SEASON 5!**


	6. Who Knows

**So, here's number six. Hoo-cha!**

**This is an Antova, as requested by AnimeQueen17. All hail.**

**If anybody here has read Emerald Shapeshifter 777's story "Memoirs," then you may notice some similarities between this story and her own. This is because I offered her some ideas to help her with her Antova, and this story was one of them. Just letting you guys know. Oh, and if you haven't read Memoirs, you should. It's really good.**

**Let's rock!**

Who Knows

Confusion. That's all Nova felt. She lay in her room, looking up at the ceiling, trying to collect her thoughts. There were only two of them, but they hurt her brain as if there were thousands. Actually, it could be considered one thought.

_Sprx or Otto? Which one do I love as a brother, and which one as a lover? I can't decide._ Nova had been struggling with her feelings for awhile, desperately trying to determine which one was which. She just couldn't do it. It might have been easier if she knew how each of them felt about her, but that wasn't possible. She had to decide before she asked, so she would know what to say when they told her. But it was too hard.

_Maybe if I asked somebody, they could help me_. But who could she ask? She definitely couldn't ask Gibson. Chiro or Jinmay were possible, but Nova didn't feel right asking them. That left only one choice.

_Antauri_. Nova's heart skipped a beat at the mention of the silver monkey's name, but she didn't know why. It didn't matter, she decided. Antauri was always the monkey to see when you had an emotional problem. Nova stood up and went looking for the silver simian.

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_There is nothing but the Power Primate. I am alone with the Power Primate. All I know is Nova. I seek to master the Power Primate so that I- wait._ Antauri snapped his eyes open, freeing him from his meditative trance. The silver monkey just sat there, trying to understand what had just happened. He had been meditating like normal, just trying to become one with the Power Primate. But he had lost concentration because Nova had suddenly popped into his head. It had been happening a lot recently, and Antauri wanted to know why. He closed his eyes and tried to remember when it had started.

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_

_Nova threw her arms around Antauri's neck, pouring all her emotions out._

"_It's you! It really is you!" Antauri stood there, not really hearing anybody else speak, besides Chiro. His whole attention was on the beautiful monkey holding him so tightly, as if she thought that by letting him go he would disappear again. Antauri sincerely wished he had his old body back, so he could truly feel this hug_.

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Antauri opened his eyes, nodding silently to himself. Yes, it had all started the day he had been reborn as the fully-robotic silver monkey. Nova had hugged him then, and Antauri had never longed to feel physical contact as badly as he had at that moment. But why? What made that moment so special? A knock on his door snapped the silver monkey from his thoughts. 

"Come in." As the door opened, Antauri saw the being that he wanted to see and be away from at the same time. Nova smiled awkwardly and waved at the silver monkey.

"Hi, Antauri. Sorry to interrupt your meditation, but I need some advice." The silver Antauri put on a friendly smile and patted the ground next to him.

"Not at all, Nova. Please, have a seat." Nova put on a genuine smile as she sat down. The two just sat there for awhile, Nova searching for the right words, Antauri waiting patiently for her to find them. During this time, Antauri also took a moment to study Nova closely. He had never noticed before, but the yellow female was quite beautiful. The slight gold tint of her fur, her strong yet comforting bubble gum pink eyes, her proud stance, the sound of her voice, it was all so intoxicating. Why hadn't he noticed before? The silver simian mentally shook his head, wondering why he had even noticed at all. Nova was his valued friend, not a source of such primal and basic pleasures. And yet, Antauri found he couldn't help himself. Thankfully, Nova picked this moment to start talking.

"I need some advice, Antauri. I don't really know how to say this, so I guess I'll just tell it as is." Antauri nodded and gestured for her to continue. Nova took a deep breath before pressing on.

"I-I have f-feelings for certain people on this team. B-But I'm not sure what category each of them would fall into. They could be a friend, brother or l-lover." Nova had Antauri's complete attention now. A small voice in Antauri's head screamed with hope, but the silver primate tried to ignore it.

"I'm not entirely sure what to say, Nova. Have you tried talking to these people you're confused about?"

_I'm talking to one right now._ Nova had thought this before she even realized what she was doing. When it hit her, she only barely avoided gasping. _Wow where did that come from?_ But as she watched Antauri speak, Nova found herself focusing more on the silver monkey himself than on his words. She watched his lips form sounds, and couldn't help but wonder what those lips would feel like on hers. The more she thought about it, the more and more she came to realize she had always been confused about Antauri. She remembered wanting to feel his warm black fur, when he had it, against her own. She remembered wanting to hear his deep yet calm voice whisper in her ear. And she distinctly remembered wanting him to return that hug she had given him only a few weeks prior.

"Did you hear me, Nova?" The yellow female was brought back to reality by Antauri's slightly raised voice. Nova shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. Antauri smiled nonetheless. "I'll take that as a no, then." Nova grinned sheepishly.

"Sorry, Antauri, I got lost in thought there. What were you saying?" Antauri smiled as he stood up, bringing Nova with him.

"I simply said that maybe you just need more time. Who knows, you may even work up the courage to ask these people yourself." Nova grinned in spite of herself.

"Yeah, who knows?"

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**Maybe that was too fluffy or cheesy or rushed. Oh well.**

**Hope you liked it AnimeQueen17. And all you Antova shippers out there as well.**

**Next installment will be a, um…I'm not sure. It'll be a surprise, I guess. I've got like 5 requests right now, and I can't remember what goes where. Apologies.**

**Please Read, Review, and Request. Does anybody wonder why we put read at the end of our stories? Shouldn't the reader already have read the story? Huh…**

**Until next time:**

**SAVE SEASON 5!**


	7. Don't Stop Believing

**Number seven. Half of my favorite store!**

**This is a Chiro/Nova with some Spova for snowbellathecheetah and somebody who wishes to remain anonymous. I will honor that wish, so we'll call them Jane Doe.**

**Yes, the title is a shout out to one of the greatest songs of all time.**

**Takes place shortly after Fire of Hate**

**Roll tape**

Don't Stop Believing

_Why? Why did it have to be _Sprx_? I mean, I wouldn't want it to be anybody, but why him? _Nova sat in her room, curled up in a ball. She had her tail wrapped around her in an attempt to keep warm. It wasn't cold inside the Super Robot; in fact it was quite warm. And yet, the yellow monkey had never felt as cold as she did right then and there. And she _hated_ the cold. As Nova formed a small ball of heat between her hands, she continued thinking.

_And why am I so freaking cold? It's like 80 degrees in here! I should be sweating like a pig! But I'm not. I'm just…cold._ Nova shuddered violently, wrapping her tail tighter around herself in response. The yellow monkey desperately wanted to get pissed, just so she could warm up. But something inside of her seemed to say that that wouldn't work this time. This was a different kind of cold, one which she couldn't just melt away. And that pissed her off.

_Why won't you go away, cold? What did I do to deserve this?_ A voice rang out from Nova's doorway, snapping the yellow female from her thoughts.

"Because you didn't tell him, and now he's gone." Chiro stood in Nova's doorway with his arms crossed, a serious look on his face. Nova's eyes grew wide when she realized that, a, she probably looked pathetic, and b, that she had been thinking out loud. Chiro strode over to the shivering monkey, wrapping her in his Hyperforce jacket before she could protest. Nova felt a little warmer, so she decided not to complain. Instead, the yellow female turned to her young leader, a question buzzing inside of her head.

"What do you mean I didn't tell him?" Chiro smiled knowingly at Nova, which irked her for some reason.

"Come on, Nova, it's so obvious. For as long as I've known you guys, I've known you and Sprx are into each other." Nova laughed and tapped Chiro on his forehead.

"Hello, Nova paging Chiro. When have Sprx or I ever shown that we've got the hots for each other?" It was Chiro's turn to laugh.

"Uh, hello? Sprx flirts with you twenty four-seven. It's pretty obvious he likes you." Nova shook her head, but couldn't help but feel a bit warmer at the thought of Sprx liking her for real.

"No, he's just being Sprx. It's how he's always been. Besides, even if he does mean what he says, which he doesn't, what makes you think I feel the same?" Chiro didn't respond immediately, thinking before he answered. He didn't want to just blurt something out, lest he incur Nova's wrath and send her back into her slump. After a couple of moments and flashbacks, he had his answer.

"Remember back when the Sun Riders were evil? Sprx was drooling over Aurora Six, and you got pretty pissed at him." Nova waved this off.

"I was just angry that he was being a slimy pervert. That doesn't prove anything." Chiro smiled knowingly yet again.

"Oh, I think it does. I think you were mad at him for being a slimy pervert. But I think it was more that he was being one towards another girl than anything else. I think you were jealous." Before Nova could protest, Chiro pressed on.

"And I've also noticed that when one of you takes a hit, the other is the first on the scene to try and help out. And remember on that planet with the Skeleton King Mastodons? You had a crush on that warrior guy. Sprx was pretty stinking jealous." Nova could only shake her head at this, as she was losing her will to fight. All of what Chiro was saying made sense. She had been jealous of Aurora Six, though she'd never admit it. And she _did_ always jump in to save Sprx when he was in trouble. And when they were helping out the Kathorians, Sprx _had_ seemed a bit jealous. In fact, now that she thought about it, hadn't he said something to her?

"_Jeez, does a monkey have to get killed to get some attention around here?"_ Yes, that was it. She hadn't really thought much about it at that point, being in the heat of battle and all. Actually, she suddenly remembered that she had said something to him. It had come unbidden to her lips, and she had forgotten that she had even said it, until now.

"_No, he just has to ask."_ Why had she said that to him? Was it possible that deep, deep, deep down in her heart she possibly, maybe, sort of-

"You like Sprx, Nova. If you admit that, you'll feel much better." Nova was brought back from her thoughts once again by Chiro's voice. But this time, Nova didn't get embarrassed. She got _angry_.

"Why the hell did you come here, Chiro?" Chiro was taken aback by the ferocity of Nova's question.

"I-I-" Nova cut him off.

"Was it to interrogate me for your own sick amusement? I never would have thought you'd do something like that, Chiro. I thought that once we got rid of Mandarin, we wouldn't have to deal with that kind of twisted sense of humor." Chiro, who had been too stunned to do anything, spoke out here.

"Nova, what's your deal? When have I ever given you reason to believe that I have _that_ kind of a sense of humor?" Nova snarled, completely out of her mind. The coldness was growing inside of her again.

"You haven't. But maybe it's all been an act. Maybe you're finally showing your true colors, just like Sprx-" Nova slapped her hands over her mouth at this point, tears coming unbidden to her eyes. Chiro's face softened as he watched the now weeping Nova, all his suspicions now being confirmed. The black haired youth pulled the yellow furred monkey close to him, where she began to cry into his chest. Chiro stroked her head soothingly, whispering kindly as he did so.

"Shh, it's ok. You don't need to cry, Nova. Tough warriors like you don't cry." Nova took her head off of Chiro's chest and looked into his eyes; bubble gum pink met sky blue.

"I can't help it, Chiro. I'm just so confused and hurt. I don't know what to do." Chiro hugged Nova close, offering the comfort only a friend's hug could give.

"I know two things you can do, Nova." Nova broke the hug and looked into Chiro's eyes again; her own filled with a hope that hadn't been there a moment ago.

"What are they?" Chiro smiled giving Nova's hand a reassuring squeeze.

"The first one is either really easy or really hard. Are you sure you want to here it?" Nova nodded enthusiastically, giving Chiro cause to continue. "Ok, here it is. When we next meet Sprx, you have to…tell him how you really feel." Chiro closed his eyes, bracing for a slap or something. It never came. The teen cautiously opened his blue eyes to find Nova had her own closed shut, lost in thought. Suddenly, the yellow monkey snapped them open and nodded.

"Right. The next time I see Sprx, I'll tell him exactly how I feel." Chiro smiled and stood up, making his way towards the door. Nova called out just as he reached it. "Chiro!" The boy turned around, a confused look on his face.

"Yeah, Nova?" The pink eyes monkey grinned happily.

"You're a good friend, Chiro." The black haired leader smiled.

'You're not to shabby yourself?" As Chiro was stepping out the door, Nova called out again.

"Wait, Chiro! You didn't tell me the second thing I have to do!" Chiro's smiled broadened as he relied.

"It's really simple, Nova. Just don't stop believing."

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**Love. That. Song.**

**Yeah, this was probably cheesy and a little rushed. But I think it was ok.**

**Hope you liked it, snowbellathecheetah and Jane Doe. There will be other Chiro/Novas, so stay tuned.**

**Next chapter will be either an Antauri/Gibson friendship, and Otto/Gibson friendship, or a surprise. I can't remember right now.**

**Fo Sho:**

**SAVE SEASON 5!**


	8. Value

**Number eight. Don't hate.**

**This is an Antauri/Gibson friendship, as requested by JayEd. Actually, it was more of a challenge.**

**So, gauntlet thrown, gauntlet picked up, and now I'm getting ready to beat you over the head with it.**

**Let's kick this pig!**

Value

_How do you measure the value of something? Is it a simple matter of weighing the object in question against others like it, and then calculating worth based on key variables that are significant to the category that the function of the object falls into? Or is there something more to the process than simple data comparison? I certainly hope so, because if only the first option is true, I really don't add much value to the team._

_-Mr. Hal Gibson, Chief Officer of Science for the Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce_

_Excerpt from a Private Journal Entry_

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Gibson closed the blue book, laying down his pen as he did so. The blue monkey sighed as he rose from the chair and made his way towards the wall. On a spot exactly six inches above and to the right of an old acid stain, Gibson placed his right hand, palm first. The area around his hand glowed green, and the wall melted away. Gibson placed his journal in the secret compartment, along with several other personal things that won't be mentioned. Just as Gibson closed his secret hiding spot, Sprx popped his head into Sick Bay.

"Hey, brain strain, are you coming to the video arcade with me, Nova, the kid, and Otto?" Gibson shook his head.

"No, Sprx, I am sorry to report that you four will be without my company." Sprx just shrugged his shoulders.

"Whatever. I really wasn't going to ask, but the kid and Otto thought it was a good idea." Gibson stiffened slightly, his journal writing from a few moments prior coming back to him. Sprx didn't seem to notice the blue monkey's hurt feelings, smirking as he spoke.

"Well, see you later, Gibson. Antauri's still here, though." With that Sprx was gone, off to a fun filled afternoon of video games and sugary sweets. Gibson stood rooted to his current spot, not really sure what to do. His thoughts were consumed by the desire to run, and just keep running; to run until he found a place where he had true value. The blue monkey shook his head, trying to drive the thoughts from his head.

_What an absurd and illogical course of action to take. The team would fall apart without me. Who could possibly take my position as Chief Officer of Science?_ _Otto?_ Gibson laughed at his own joke, lightening his mood a bit. The blue monkey made his way over to one of his many lab tables, beginning to work on the experiment. Gibson had completely forgotten about his moment of insecurity when he came to the bottom of his data sheet.

_What is the value of the data recorded above?_ Gibson put the sheet down immediately, not wanting to remind himself of his thoughts. The blue simian made his way over to a computer terminal, opening one of the few math games that could make him think.

"A good brain workout is just what I require." Gibson went through the first seven problems easily, just like normal. But when he reached the eighth problem, it all came back again.

_Compute the value of the following equation._ Gibson sighed heavily, shutting off the game and turning away from the terminal. The black-eyed scientist made his way out of the lab, for the first time in his life leaving with a heavier heart than when he had entered.

* * *

Gibson found himself on top of the Super Robot. He didn't really know why he had come here; it had just seemed like the place to go when you needed to clear your head. It was a good minute before the confused monkey noticed he wasn't alone.

"Antauri?" The black furred monkey was sitting on the edge of the Robot, staring out over the city. Upon hearing Gibson's voice, Antauri whipped his head around, his naturally calm smile on his face.

"Oh, hello, Gibson. How long have you been there?" The blue monkey shrugged his shoulders in response.

"No more than a minute. Mind if I join you?" Antauri smiled and patted the spot next to him. Gibson sat down, thankful to have somebody to talk to. No sooner had the blue monkey's rear touched the floor than Antauri spoke.

"I sense that something is troubling you, Gibson. Anything you would like to talk about?" The blue monkey opened his eyes in surprise. One could never quite get used to Antauri's amazing ability to read people's emotions.

"Yes, there is something weighing heavy on my mind. But I don't know…" Antauri placed a comforting hand on his blue companion's shoulder.

"You can tell me, Gibson. As your friend, I promise not to judge you." Gibson took a deep breath, deciding that if anybody could help him with his problem, it was Antauri.

"Well, Antauri, it's rather complicated. Actually, it could be considered quite simple, I guess. It all depends on one's views of what is simple and what is complicated. That is to say that-" Antauri cleared his throat, causing Gibson to blush. "Apologies, Antauri. I don't mean to carry on so." The black monkey smiled.

"Not at all, Gibson. Please continue." The blue monkey took another deep breath before proceeding.

"What I was saying earlier is true. One's opinion on the meaning of a word carries critical meaning. Recently, my definition of the word _value_ has been changing." Antauri spoke here.

"Value? Why value?" Gibson stared at his palms, evidently unsure how to continue.

"I-I…don't really…I mean, what…Do I have a value on the team?" Antauri was caught off guard by the question.

"Pardon me?" Gibson restated the question.

"Do I have a value on the team?" Antauri just stared at Gibson as if he were insane.

"Of course you do, Gibson. Why would you ever think otherwise?" Gibson sighed, exasperated.

"Don't lie to me, Antauri. I have thought about it a good deal, and have come to the conclusion that, if I were to leave the team, nothing would change. Sure, there might be some initial friction, but you all would learn to get by." Antauri couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Gibson, how could you believe that? You are as vital to this team as anybody." Gibson waved this away.

"Pft. Name something that I do for this team that nobody else could do." Antauri counted on his fingers to add emphasis.

"You're our doctor, logical plan maker, researcher, and a good friend." Gibson rolled his eyes.

"And nobody else could do any of those things? I'm sure that somebody on the team could ably perform those functions if I left."

"No, they couldn't. I don't believe you realize how much _value_ you have with the team, Gibson." Antauri spoke with such emphasis that Gibson found he couldn't argue, resigning himself to simply listen.

"If you left, nobody on this team would be able to provide medical treatment at the level you do. If you left, others wouldn't be far behind." Gibson's eyes grew wide at this.

"Who? Who would leave because I left?" Antauri smiled.

"Sprx." Gibson gawked.

"SPRX! He would _love_ it if I left. We go together like peanut butter and ketchup." Antauri laughed, putting his arm around Gibson's shoulders as he spoke.

"Gibson, you really don't get it, do you? That's just what Sprx does. It's who he is. He's a smart aleck, but one with a good heart. He would be devastated if his brother left the team. And he wouldn't be the only one." Gibson's curiosity got the best of him

"Who else, Antauri?" Antauri looked at the blue monkey, his own green eyes carrying the faintest hint of sadness.

"Me. I don't know if I could stand to lose such a good friend." Gibson responded immediately, pulling Antauri into a hug.

"And I'd miss you as well, old friend." The two monkeys broke apart and just stared out over the city for awhile. Gibson finally understood the true meaning of value.

_Do you?_

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**Cheesy and rushed. Alllllllll Right.**

**Hope it was ok, JayEd.**

**Please review and request!**

**Next chapter is going to be something I came up with awhile ago. Stay tuned!**

**Stay frosty:**

**SAVE SEASON 5!**


	9. Respect

**Chapter nine. Doing fine. I think.**

**This wasn't requested. I've had this idea for awhile, and just now decided to use it.**

**This is a Mandarin/Velina thing. Not romance, more like…the title, I guess.**

**Takes place shortly after Captain Shuggazoom gets pwnd in Fire of Hate**

**Hope you like it!**

Respect

_Why? Why had he saved me? He could have been free, and yet he saved me. Why?_

88888

Two lone figures marched across the frozen tundra in complete silence. An undead monkey was in the lead, followed closely by a tall, Gothic woman. This woman seemed deep in thought, and soon called out to the monkey in front of her.

"Demon monkey, come to me." Mandarin snarled, whipping around to face the source of the voice. It was Valina, the skull sorceress. The Gothic witch towered over the smaller simian, as she was at least twice his height. Yet Mandarin somehow found a way to look down on her, the purest form of loathing evident in the skeletal monkey's voice as he replied.

"What is it now, she-witch? I am not one for idle conversation, especially when it is _you_ I am talking to." Valina stared back at Mandarin with an equal amount of hatred, although if one had to judge, Mandarin would have won.

"I would rather not speak with you either, vile creature. Your voice is as repugnant as your appearance, and twice as degrading." Mandarin scoffed, curling his upper lip as he replied.

"You are one to talk, sorceress. A look in the mirror would tell you exactly why the Skeleton King _granted_ you the realm you once ruled. It was quite an ingenious way to get such a revolting creature away from his sight." Valina screeched in rage, shooting a purple energy blast at Mandarin. The blast stuck Mandarin squarely in the chest, causing the undead monkey to scream in pain. Purple light danced along Mandarin's body; there was a faint crackle of electricity. The once orange monkey clutched the ground, gasping hard. After a few moments, Mandarin worked up enough strength to lift his head and look at Valina. His dark eyes were filled with defiance.

"Do your worst, witch. As I have told you before, pain and I are old friends." Valina looked as if she was seriously considering putting the skeletal monkey's words to the test, but decided against it. The sorceress grabbed Mandarin by his tail, roughly yanking him up. "Yowch! Have some decency, woman. You don't touch a monkey's tail in such a manner." Valina waved this away.

"Don't even attempt to preach to me, hell spawn. You're rotten to the core, and wouldn't know decency if _it_ yanked on your tail." Mandarin snarled, but did not argue the point, as it was true.

"Why did you call me, witch? Surely you have some purpose for wasting my time." Valina was taken aback by the question. She had almost forgotten her original purpose for talking to Mandarin; their argument had been so intense and involving.

"Yes, I do desire to speak with you on a certain matter, monkey." Mandarin cocked an eyebrow, clearly intrigued.

"What is this matter, witch? Is it something to do with the Skeleton King's resurrection?" Valina shook her head.

"No, not really." Mandarin snarled at this.

"Then why do you bother me? I care not for your petty and pointless thoughts." Valina replied before she could think.

"Why did you save me?" Mandarin stared back blankly.

"What?" Valina repeated her question, the slightest hint of anger entering her voice.

"Back at the Skeletal Circle, you saved me. Why?" Mandarin waved this away.

"I already told you, witch. You know more of the skull's power than I, so I therefore require your assistance." Valina shook her head.

"As much as I wish to believe that is the only reason, I sense that there is something more to it." Mandarin betrayed the slightest bit of discomfort when he answered back.

"Impossible. What other reason could I possibly have to save a worthless being such as you?" Valina smiled wickedly.

"I will soon find out." A purple energy blast shot from the witch's hand.

88888

"Enough! I will talk!" Valina lowered her hand, freeing Mandarin from his unending torment. The undead monkey fell to his knees, breathing hard and shaking all over from pain-induced spasms. Valina stared down at the orange creature in disgust.

"Then talk, my malevolent monkey. I shall not hold my hand long." Mandarin looked up at Valina, dark red eyes meeting purple ones.

"Yes, there is another reason I saved you, though I did not realize it until recently." Valina kicked out with her foot, catching the monkey neatly in his ribs. Mandarin winced.

"What is it, monkey. Tell me!" Mandarin looked up at Valina again, uttering only one word.

"Respect." Valina took a step backwards.

"Respect? Of me?" Mandarin stood up weakly, swaying slightly but managing to stay upright.

"Yes, witch, respect. You should learn to show me some." Valina was still reeling.

"You..._respect_ me?" Mandarin shook his head.

"No, witch, I don't respect you. I don't even like you. I loathe every fiber of your being. What I respect is your power, and what you do with it. You use it to accomplish your own goals, while still remaining loyal to your leader. That is something my brothers never did for me." Valina simply stared at the skeletal simian, not really sure what to do or say.

"I, well..." Mandarin raised his non-clawed hand, cutting her off.

"Do not speak, sorceress. We have a job to do." Mandarin continued walking along the frozen landscape, heading towards the Ice Demon's cave. Valina stood rooted to the spot for a few seconds, but soon recovered. She followed closely behind the undead monkey, a wicked smile spreading across her face.

88888

_They say it is better to be loved by your followers than feared by them. But respect is an even greater tool for ensuring loyalty._

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Hm…That was dark, and maybe a little rushed. Oh well.**

**Hope you guys liked it!**

**Please review and request!**

**Next chapter will be an Ottova. I think.**

**Bow Chicka Bow Wow:**

**SAVE SEASON 5!**


	10. Grief

**Alright, yo estoy back. Did you miss me? Don't answer that.**

**So, as requested by Courtney and KA-AK, and sorta by Kittie1, here's an Ottova.**

**Takes place at the end of I, Chiro.**

**Ok, let's get this over with:**

Grief

He was gone. He was really and truly gone. Otto had always known that their job was dangerous, and that injuries were a likely occurrence, but come on. They were the _good_ guys. They were supposed to all make it through together. And if one of them did go, the green simian had never thought it would be _Antauri_. The black furred monkey had always seemed untouchable, a cut above the rest of them in skill and survival instinct. To see him go down was a wake up call for the normally happy-go-lucky simian. It told him that any of them could go at any time. A sudden hand on Otto's shoulder broke him out of a rare philosophical moment.

"You ok, Otto?" The hand on Otto's shoulder belonged to Nova, and there was no hand Otto would rather have had touch him in the world. Nova's normally beautiful and stoic expression was now one of extreme sadness, hinging on depression. It pained Otto's already wounded heart to see the love of his life, which she didn't know she was, in such a state. Otto normally could be counted on to lift the mood of his team, especially Nova. But the green primate just didn't have any of his usual spunk in him today. Antauri's death had drained it from him. All Otto could do was force a weak smile.

"Yeah, I'm ok. Just, you know, a little shocked. How about you?" Nova bit her bottom lip, apparently lost in thought. Otto waited patiently for her to respond, utilizing the time to take in her beauty for about the billionth time. The slight curling and uncurling of her tail, the way her eyes sparkled, the way she carried herself proudly, her voice; all of these attracted Otto to Nova. It had been this way for as long as Otto could remember. He had always been infatuated with Nova, so he did his best to make sure she was always happy. It was the least he could do to repay her for the joy she brought into his life. Nova's sudden shaking of her head brought Otto back to reality.

"No, I'm not ok. I know everybody expects me to be a great, emotionally steady warrior. But sometimes even the mightiest stone suffers cracks, right?" Otto smiled and spoke before he really realized what he was saying.

"You sound like Antauri." Otto clapped his hands over his mouth as soon as he had spoken, mentally beating himself for his lack of tact. Nova sighed and took her hand off of Otto's shoulder, wrapping her arms around herself as she replied.

"Yeah, Antauri. That's just it. He's gone now, Otto. Gone and he can't come back. And that's what makes it so hard for me, though I'm trying to be strong for you guys. Antauri's now the second loved one I've lost because of the Dark Ones, do you realize that?" Otto was caught off guard by the question, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand as he answered.

"Uh, I hadn't really thought about it. Who was the first on, again?" Nova's eyes watered as she replied, breaking Otto's heart into tiny bits.

"The Alchemist, Otto. I was his Dearest Nova. And he was like a father to me. The Dark Ones corrupted him and turned him into Skeleton King. And now we've lost Antauri to the new Dark One. It's not fair, Otto." Nova's final store of courage seemed to fail her, and the always-brave simian broke down and cried. What was left of Otto's heart ripped, leaving the green monkey feeling cold and empty. Trying to ease both of their pains, Otto knelt down next to Nova and held her close, allowing her to sob freely into his chest.

"It's ok, Nova. You haven't lost everything. And I'm sure that the Alchemist and Antauri wouldn't want to see you cry. I mean, just like Gibson said, Antauri always thought of death as a new beginning." Nova's sobs slowed slightly, but didn't cease.

"Yeah, but like you said, he's alone." Otto smiled and shook his head, lifting Nova's chin so that he gazed into her eyes.

"But like Sprx _and_ Antauri said, no Monkey Team member is ever alone. He's probably with the Alchemist right now, watching down on us and smiling." Nova sniffled, her sobs finally stopping. Otto smiled as the par stood up and Nova wiped her eyes. "Feel better, Nova?" Nova smiled, and Otto could tell that, despite the pain still in Nova's eyes, the smile was genuine.

"A little bit. Thanks a lot, Otto. You really are the best." Nova leaned forward and pecked the green monkey on the cheek, which made Otto blush deeper red than Sprx's fur. Smiling and slightly more up-beat, Nova made her way into her tube and shot up, probably going to her room to be alone and think. Otto was left alone to ponder the wonderfully warm sensation on his cheek, located where Nova's lips had kissed him. The green simian was also left wishing that the warm sensation was on hi lips, but that was hopeful thinking. One day he might be able to tell Nova how he truly felt, but now wasn't the time. For the time being, Otto would satisfy himself with the knowledge that he had eased Nova's pain. The realization of this served to ease Otto's as well. Otto was suddenly struck by something Antauri had told him long ago, before they were robotic.

"_Remember, Otto, that the best medicine for grief is the kind word and touch of a friend and loved one."_ Otto smiled and looked at the metal cog that served as Antauri's tombstone, rubbing two of his fingers across the spot Nova had kissed him. He then rubbed those fingers in a heart-shaped pattern on the cog, speaking aloud to nobody in particular.

"You got that right, Antauri. Thanks for easing my grief, and I hope that eases yours."

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**Well, there it is. An Ottova with some kissing. Probably not what KA-AK and Courtney had in mind, but hey. I'm not really sold on any pairing except Spova. That's not to say I don't support them, I jus think Spova makes sense. No offense to anybody.**

**Hope it was acceptable, you two.**

**Next chapter is going to be a Sprx/Gibson brother thing.**

**Until we hablar again:**

**SAVE SEASON 5!**


	11. Brothers in Arms

**Wazzup, gangsters? Hopefully not your weight.**

**This is a Sprx/Gibson brothers thing. Unrequested but not uncalled for.**

**Takes place at the same time as my last update.**

**Rollin':**

Brothers in Arms

"In our line of duty, there was always a high probability of one of us not making it. The addition of a Dark One into the equation nearly guaranteed that one of us would have to give their life for the cause. And yet…"

"And yet you were hoping for a statistical anomaly, huh?" Sprx and Gibson sat across from each other in Sick Bay. It was a rare occasion for Gibson to be sitting around idle while in his lab. It was an unfathomable occasion for both Gibson _and_ Sprx to be having a serious conversation. And yet the blue monkey was, and the brothers were.

"Yes, I suppose I was hoping for a miscalculation or an unaccounted for variable, however illogical it might be." Gibson stared at his hands as he spoke, not really desiring or having the strength to do anything else. Sprx watched the blue simian sitting across from him, taking in the words more clearly than he ever had taken in Gibson's words before.

"It's not illogical, Gibson." The blue primate looked up at his red companion, the slightest hint of anger entering his voice.

"Of course it is, Sprx! To know the answer to the equation _and_ to know how one achieves that answer, and yet to still believe an alternate out come is possible, is illogical." Sprx shook his head sadly, placing his right hand on Gibson's shoulder.

'Gibson, Gibson, Gibson, I would have thought with that big brain of yours that you would've figured this out already. To hope and dream isn't illogical at all." Gibson snorted, lifting Sprx's hand off of his shoulder as he replied.

"That's just the kind of thing I'd expect to hear from you, Sprx. A dream, by definition, is often an illogical event. And hopes are often based off of beliefs that have no logical backing to them. So how can you say that hoping and dreaming are logical, when they represent the exact opposite?" Sprx just stared at Gibson, unbelieving.

"Gibson, you may be one smart chimp, but you're still stupid as hell. Has it never occurred to that over-sized brain of yours that most things in the universe weren't based on logic?" Gibson's attempted reply came out as nothing more than a stuttering ramble.

"W-well, I had t-thought on c-certain occasions that-" Sprx held up his hand, not interested in hearing it.

"Save it, Gibson. I know you, and I know that you wouldn't think about it if somebody didn't question you about it. To you, everything has to happen for a logical reason. But if you pulled your head out of your books for half a second, you'd see that the world isn't logical at all." Gibson's interest, whether or not he wanted to admit it, had been perked.

"Explain yourself, Sprx." The red monkey was only to willing to oblige.

"Think about it, Gibson. The world is full of illogical things. Kids fall in love for the most illogical reasons you can imagine. There are videogames that don't have any logic that went into designing them or creating them. We eat things that make you wonder what the dude was thinking when he came up with it. And look at us." Gibson cocked and eye-ridge at this.

"What about us, Sprx?" Sprx spread his arms wide as he answered.

"Why us? Why did the Alchemist decide to use monkeys? It's not for some logical reason. In fact, I think it was as an illogical reason as you can have." Gibson made a go-on motion with his hand.

'Which is?" Sprx answered back with only three words.

"The Power Primate." Gibson was take aback by the answer, as Sprx was not one to usually talk about the mystical force.

'The Power Primate? You think that's the illogical reason for why the Alchemist picked monkeys? It seems quite logical to pick a species that has a mystical force of good, doesn't it?" Sprx shook his head.

"But doesn't it strike you as weird that the Alchemist would find it logical that an underdeveloped species should save the universe?" Gibson didn't have an answer. The blue monkey had never thought his brother could think on such a deep and emotional level.

"I…suppose that does seem illogical." Sprx smiled, elated that he had actually won an intellectual argument with Gibson. The only person Sprx had ever seen do that was Antauri-

"Oh, right." Sprx's face fell at the thought of the black monkey, now departed. It had sparked the argument, and now it had come full circle. Gibson was worried at the sudden depression on his brother's face. The red monkey would normally be rubbing his victory in Gibson's face right now or at least put on that annoying smirk of his. The last thing Gibson would have expected was for Sprx to become melancholy.

"Sprx, what's the matter?" The red primate looked at his blue brother, hurt swirling in his usually jolly eyes.

"I just remembered why we started that argument." Gibson replayed the conversation in his head when it suddenly hit him.

"Oh, right." The two simians sat in silence for awhile, neither of them knowing what to say or do. Sprx seemed utterly interested in the palms of his hands while Gibson discovered something worth looking at with his feet. Suddenly, Sprx spoke,

"I never got to tell him that I thought of him as a brother. Now I never will. And now that I realize how important it is to tell our feelings, I've got to tell you something, Gibson." The blue monkey was struck, and yet keenly interested.

"What is it, Sprx?" The red simian looked Gibson right in the eye as he replied.

"I know I'm rough on you, Gibson. But I really do like. Love you as a brother, even. I-I just wanted you to know that…just in case one of us ever…" Gibson smiled and placed his hand on Sprx's shoulder.

"Say no more, Sprx. I understand, and I feel the same. It's only a natural thing to feel, us being brothers in arms and all of that jazz."

**

* * *

**

**That may have been weird, confusing, and cheesy.**

**Hope you guys all liked it! Please read and review!**

**Next chapter will be an Otto/Sprx brother thing; cuz Dark Fox Taliz requested it for that chapter.**

**Until then:**

**SAVE SEASON 5!**


	12. Apology

**Alright. I've been out of the game for a LONG time. And I came back once before, which lasted a day. The mistake I made then was not writing anything before I came back, which meant I was already behind.**

**So my plan is to get back into the game slowly. I'm going to start by strictly sticking to Relacien. If I feel good about it, I'll add in Stranded on Ariralue to my work list. But we'll have to see how that goes.**

**But in other words: I'm back!**

**And this is, of course, the Sprx/Otto brother thing requested so long ago by Dark Fox Tailz. Takes place shortly after the "Series Finale."**

Apology

Sprx walked slowly around the inside of the Giant Robot, taking in every single detail he possibly could. Sure, Sprx had spent most of his life inside the giant mobile base, and one might think there was nothing new for him to see. This couldn't be further from the truth.

After being freed from the Soul of Evil's power, Sprx had made a point of touring the Robot and taking in all the details he could. It was quite shocking how many things he had never noticed.

Like how clean the walls were. There were literally no stains, scuffs, dents; nothing. Just the never ending sight of ruthless sterilization.

"We could use some wall decorations," Sprx commented to himself. "Maybe some paintings or a tapestry."

"I happen to like the bland whiteness."

Sprx whirled around at the sudden interjection, and smiled when he saw who it was.

"Really, Otto? "

Otto stepped away from the entrance to his tube and walked in Sprx's general direction, keeping his eyes on the wall.

"Yep. It allows me to imagine possibilities. And it keeps things in perspective."

Sprx cocked an eye ridge. Otto was being quite philosophical. Otto was _never_ philosophical.

_Jeez, how much has changed since I was on that evil power trip?_

"Keeps things in perspective?" asked Sprx. "How?"

"'It reinforces and old lesson," replied Otto as he walked past Sprx and touched the wall.

"And what might that be?" asked Sprx, uncomfortable for a reason he didn't understand.

Otto turned around and looked Sprx straight in the eye. "That you can't judge a book by its cover."

Sprx gulped. He didn't like where this was going.

"I mean, think about," continued Otto. "On top it's just a sterile white wall. But beneath that there's a complex system of or parts that even I only partially understand."

"Yeah, I, uh…never thought about it like that," said Sprx.

"Of course you didn't," Otto half-laughed as he shook his head. "I've never known you to think about anything."

Sprx took a step backwards. _That_ was unexpected.

"Ouch," said Sprx. "I know I'm pretty brash, but that doesn't mean I don't think."

"You never think about the _important_ things," stated Otto, and Sprx heard a slight edge in the normally jovial monkey's voice.

"What's up, Otto?" asked Sprx, unnerved. "This isn't like you."

"What's up?" growled Otto. "I'll tell you what's up. Because of your habit of never thinking, we're now in a full-fledged war with the Skeleton King and his kingdom."

"Oh…" Sprx simply stared at the floor. So _that_ was it.

"I mean," continued Otto, that strange half-laugh still present, "what would possess you to pick up the Fire of Hate? Didn't Gibson tell you he felt wrong when he tried to pick up the Ice Crystal of Vengeance?"

"Well, yeah," conceded Sprx as he scratched the back of his neck. "I thought he was just weak. A coward."

"So," said Otto, "you ignored the words of the smartest member of the team. Not to mention the only one who had actually _come close to one of the pieces_?"

Sprx had actually felt the green simian's anger rising with each word. Sprx swallowed hard before responding.

"I just wanted to stop Skeleton King's resurrection."

"And you ended up bringing him back!"

_That_ hurt. And it hurt all the more because it was true.

He could argue all he wanted that Valina and Mandarin had been the ones who had brought the Skeleton King back, but in the end he knew he had played the pivotal role.

He had been the errand boy. He had used his magnets to take down all five of his then-former teammates to recover the Fire of Hate. He had been the one to offer the Soul of Evil at the Resurrection.

He had been the distraction that had allowed the Resurrection to succeed.

"I know I messed up, Otto," said Sprx.

"I don't understand," said Otto. The green monkey had ejected his energy saw from his left arm and was holding the blade with his right hand. There was a distinct whirring sound that told Sprx that the saw was attempting rotate while Otto held it still.

It was Otto's ultimate sign of fury, and one Sprx had only seen the green monkey use once or twice.

"W-what don't you understand?" asked Sprx, eyeing the saw warily.

"You betrayed us, you resurrected Skeleton King, and you _almost __**killed**__ Nova_."

At the last line, Sprx almost whipped out his magnets and pulled his own circuitry out. Surely death was better than having to live with _that _memory for the rest of his life. But Sprx managed to fight down the unbearable guilt.

For that moment, anyway.

"You do all of those hellish things, and the only thing I feel is complete and utter relief that you're back and unharmed."

There was a moment of stunned silence, in which Sprx must have blinked dozen times.

"W-what?" asked Sprx. And then the green monkey was upon him.

Sprx closed his eyes, waiting for the agonizing pain of an energy saw slash. But it never came.

Instead, Sprx felt himself being crushed by a monstrous bear hug. Sprx opened one eye to find Otto hugging him close.

"You're like a brother to me, Sprx," said Otto, and as he pulled his head back Sprx could see the green monkey was crying. "Antauri, Gibson, Nova, and Chiro are the best friends a monkey could ask for. But you're my brother, Sprx. Not in the same way as you and Gibson are, but the same sentiment."

Sprx had no idea what to say. This was the last thing he had expected to hear.

"Why are you telling me this now?" asked Sprx.

"I don't know," Otto said quietly. The green primate put Sprx down and turned around.

"I really have no idea. My whole body is just itching to rip you open and tear your heart out. To do what you did to the rest of us. But all I can think is that I'm so glad to have my brother back. And I guess…I guess I'm telling you this now in case you ever…" Otto trailed off, but Sprx could fill in the rest easily enough.

"Never," said Sprx as he put a hand on Otto's shoulder. The green monkey turned around to find Sprx wearing a serious expression. "If that ever happens again, I want you to slice my head clean off."

"Are you serious?" Otto recoiled, horrified.

"Stone cold," replied Sprx. "I would sooner die than have to live with another Nova incident. And I can't think of anyone I would rather have save me from that fate."

Otto stared evenly at Sprx, wearing the same serious expression.

"Would you do the same for me?"

"I would rip your damn heart out if you wanted me to."

It sounded horrible, but in terms of the conversation at hand it was the perfect answer. Otto held out his hand, and his usual goofy grin appeared.

"Would you like a horizontal slice or more of a diagonal approach?"

Sprx laughed and pulled Otto into a brotherly hug.

"Whatever you're better at, bro."

After breaking the hug, Otto made his way back to his workshop and Sprx continued to tour the Super Robot.

The red monkey felt stronger, and was relieved to have one conflict resolved.

After all, there was a much bigger conflict that required his attention. And Sprx was eager to show the Skeleton King how sorry the red simian was for deserting his ranks.

But before all of that, there was a certain yellow simian that required a much different type of apology.

**

* * *

And there it is. First SRMTHFG in a long time.**

**Not a brother thing in a normal light, is it?**

**Been a while since I did this:**

**Save Season 5!**


	13. Pruning

**Yes. The Return of the Comeback of the Revenge. That's about how many times I've made my reappearance. And to be honest, I don't know if this is really even a comeback. I just know I promised this story, and super late or not I'm posting it.**

**This is a Gibson/Mandarin friendship thing requested by Argonautica Brown. Hope it's worth your long wait, amiga.**

**Rolling!**

Pruning

The sun beat down mercilessly on one of the few jungles strong enough to populate Shuggazoom's Zone of Wasted Years, turning the already steamy locale into a verdant sauna. The few birds that left their nests sang half-hearted, melancholy tunes and most animals fought tooth and nail for what little shade was available. Only two creatures seemed unfazed by the heat: an orange and a blue monkey.

Well, the orange simian was unfazed. The blue primate looked rather nonplussed.

_Squish!_

"Disgusting. Sometimes one can forget how unsanitary the rest of Shuggazoom is when one confines oneself to the Metropolis and the Super Robot." Gibson leaned against a tree and was about to inspect the bottom of his foot when a sharp voice barked out.

"There is no time for that, Gibson. We must keep moving." With a sigh, Gibson moved away from the tree and followed after the voice.

"But of course, Mandarin. How foolish of me to be concerned about my foot." Gibson's words were laced with sarcasm, but he had to admit he probably didn't want to know what he had stepped in anyway.

And so the blue monkey trailed after his orange leader, just as he had been doing for the past two hours. It had been that way since Mandarin had first approached him in the Super Robot and ordered Gibson to come with him.

88888

"_Come on, Brain Strain! It's no fun beating you all the time."_

_Gibson and Sprx were sparring in the Super Robot's training room, a rare occurrence considering neither of the two brothers was very passionate about combat. But Mandarin was adamant that all members of the Hyperforce keep their combat skills sharp. If that meant the orange monkey had to drag his subordinates into the training room by their tails and monitor their progress, then he would._

_And he had._

"_Gibson! Get up and fight back," Mandarin's order echoed over the intercom. "You won't win any battles lying down!"_

"_Sorry if I'm boring you, Sprx," said Gibson as he pulled himself off the floor. "It's difficult to keep up with your short attention span." Sprx let out a chuckle, his trademarked smirk plastered on his face._

"_Well, it's not that it's not fun to beat you soundly. It's just that, well, you could at least __**try**__ to hit me."_

_Gibson growled with rage at this, launching himself bodily at his crimson brother. But the attack was clumsy and Sprx easily sidestepped it. As the blue monkey stumbled past, Sprx snaked his tail around his opponent's legs and brought him crashing to the floor. Before Gibson could get off the ground, Sprx was upon him. The red simian sat down on his brother's back, effectively pinning him to the ground._

"_Well, you may be a pretty lousy fighter, but you've got quite a bright future as a chair." Gibson let out an outraged snarl._

"_I'll tell you what you can go sit on-"_

"_**Enough!**__" Both brothers looked up simultaneously. Mandarin stood in training room's entrance, arms behind his back and a stern look on his face. Every pore of the orange monkey seemed to ooze disapproval. "Sprx, you're done for the day. Get out of my sight."_

_Sprx stood up and helped Gibson to his feet before turning to his leader. "What? No helpful tips? No inspirational pep talk?" Mandarin's lip curled._

"_Just. Go." The orange primate's words were laced with venom, but Sprx simply smirked._

"_Aye, aye!" exclaimed the red monkey. Sprx added a mock salute before he made his way out of the room. Sighing, Mandarin shook his head and turned his gaze to Gibson, who was brushing himself off._

"_As for you, Gibson…follow me." Without waiting for a reply, Mandarin turned on his heel and marched out of the room. Running his hand down his face in exasperation, Gibson followed after his orange superior._

88888

And so here they were two hours later, and Gibson _still_ had no idea what Mandarin was up to. All the blue monkey knew was that he was hot, tired, and had something sticky and itchy occupying the bottom of his foot.

"Mandarin, would you _please_ elucidate on what it is we're doing out here?" asked Gibson, frustration palpable in the blue simian's voice. "I have had to pass up the opportunity to study no less than seven rare plant specimens on this hike, and I would like to know that there's a reason for squandering such opportunities."

"Unnecessary chatter will only add to your discomfort, Gibson." The blue monkey sighed and rubbed his temples. It was the response Mandarin had unerringly used each time Gibson had asked a question. And each time it grated a little more at the stressed simian's nerves.

_Why can't the ground just swallow him up and rid me of this hell?_ Gibson thought as he stared venomously at the back of his tormentor's head. Suddenly, as if brought on by the blue primate's thoughts, a low rumble emanated from the ground. The simian pair froze in their tracks.

_CHHHHRRRRRMMMM!_

The ground cracked and gave way beneath Mandarin. The orange monkey barely had time to glance back at Gibson and let out a startled screech before he vanished underground.

"Mandarin!" Gibson sprinted to the spot where his teammate had just been. Carefully leaning over the edge, Gibson called out again. "Mandarin! Can you hear me?" The only response was the echoing of Gibson's voice. Worried, the blue monkey activated his helmet light and leaned out further over the hole. Shining his light down into the darkness, Gibson discovered that the hole was much deeper than he had first suspected.

_Perhaps Mandarin was knocked unconscious from the fall,_ Gibson thought. The blue simian scanned his surrounding, searching for some way to get safely down the hole. _Maybe a vine or something similar_. But Mother Nature had a much more streamlined plan.

_CHHHCCKKK!_

Gibson looked down as the ground gave out underneath him.

"Monkey Doodle."

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Gibson awoke to find himself in pitch-black darkness. Which was probably a good thing, because the blue monkey had a pounding headache.

"Uagh," moaned Gibson as he reached up to rub his aching cranium. The blue monkey froze when he felt the large rock protruding from his head. Gingerly, Gibson pulled the offending object out, and was greeted with the sound of broken glass. Sighing, Gibson carefully touched his helmet light. It was as he feared: the light was shattered. Groaning, the blue simian pulled himself to his feet.

"Well, silver lining in all this," Gibson muttered to himself as he gazed at the rock in his hand, "at least you impaled my light and not my brain. So, thanks." Tossing the rock away, Gibson attempted to get his bearings; not that it did him much good. Far above him, Gibson could make out light coming from the hole he had fallen through. Other than that, the blue simian was in the dark. Literally.

"Geologically speaking, having two cave-ins in the same section in such a small time interval is statistically inconceivable. Then again," Gibson touched his helmet light, "this really hasn't been my day." With a sigh, Gibson cracked his back and leaned against the wall.

"My first priority should be shedding some light on my situation. I'm no good to Mandarin or myself fumbling about in the dark like this." A sudden smell wafted through the air, catching Gibson's attention.

"That smells like…" Gibson's words trailed off as he began blindly feeling along the wall. A smile slowly spread across the monkey's face when he found what he was searching for. "Finally, something goes my way today." Tenderly, almost lovingly, Gibson ran his hand along the source of his good mood: a root.

"_Prunus spinosa_," Gibson said. "More commonly known as blackthorn." Pulling out his drills, Gibson went to work on removing the root. "Known to gardeners and farmers for its plums." Gibson put away his drills and began tugging at the root. "It is known to campers and woodsmen for a different reason." Grunting, Gibson gave the root a mighty tug and was rewarded with a loud crack as the object came free from its earthy prison. Smiling grimly, the primate put the large root on the ground and pulled out his drills again. Revving them up, Gibson ground the drills together until sparks began to fly. Holding the sparking drills close to the root, Gibson kept grinding until the root caught on fire. With a satisfied smile, Gibson picked up his makeshift torch.

"Campers and woodsmen know blackthorn because it burns slowly and brilliantly. There's something to be said for respecting the classics." Holding the torch up, Gibson was finally able to view his surroundings. The blue monkey was shocked to find that he was not in a pit, but rather a large underground tunnel. The tunnel itself was large enough for Gibson to stand up comfortably in, and the hole he had fallen through appeared to be some sort of air pocket. But Gibson had no time to enjoy the geological marvel. He was too preoccupied with what he didn't see.

"Mandarin!" Gibson looked all around, but it was to no avail. The orange monkey was nowhere to be found. Sighing, Gibson lowered his head and the torch in defeat. "Monkey Doodle, this is bad."

As Gibson stared at the ground, something caught his eye. "Well, well. What do we have here?" A wide groove ran off down the tunnel to Gibson's right. Wide enough to have been left by a monkey being dragged off.

"I can't tell if things just got better or worse," Gibson muttered to himself as he followed the groove deeper into the tunnel.

88888

Ten minutes of walking brought Gibson to the end of the tunnel, which opened into a vast inner chamber. What the blue monkey saw made his heart stop.

"I retract my prior statement," Gibson whispered. "Things just got worse."

Occupying the chamber was the largest plant Gibson had ever seen. The center of the plant was easily thirty feet high and had what appeared to be a head. The "head" was at least twice as big as Gibson, with green and purple stripes and rows of…teeth. Stretching out from the "body" of the plant were dozens upon dozens of squirming tentacle-like vines of varying sizes. At regular intervals along each vine there were large pods containing some type of liquid. Some of the vines simply lay around the chamber, but most snaked out through the multitude of tunnels that stemmed from the chamber. Gibson swallowed a rather large lump that had formed in his throat.

"_Toxicodendron muscipula_," Gibson breathed as he pressed himself against the tunnel wall. "The Shuggazoom Creeper." Taking a measured breath, Gibson peaked out from the tunnel.

"If I remember my research correctly, and I always do, then those pods contain a paralyzing toxin. This must be what got Mandarin." Gibson's first thought was to call the rest of the Hyperforce for backup, but he quickly put an end to that train of thought. He was well out of communications range, and it was unlikely the message could be transmitted from his current location regardless. For better or worse, the blue monkey was flying solo.

Scanning the chamber again, Gibson searched for any sign of his orange comrade. He could spot no trace of the other monkey, which left only one place Mandarin could be.

_No plant is going to eat my teammate as long as I'm here_. Crying out in challenge, Gibson pulled out one of his drills and sprinted at the plant with his torch held high. The would-be savior had gone no more than five steps before a vine shot out and smacked him across the face, which sent Gibson crashing into the chamber wall.

"Oof!" Shaking himself out of his daze, Gibson barely had enough time to dodge as the plant's toxin splattered against the wall. Dodging snapping vines and flying toxin, Gibson desperately tried to come up with a plan.

_Weaknesses, weaknesses! Come on, Gibson, think! Yikes!_ The blue monkey ducked under another splash of the plant's toxin. _Blasted toxin! Wait-That's it!_ Gibson leapt over a sweeping vine, a smile spreading across his face. _The toxin is manufactured and kept in the vines because it is dangerous to the plant itself!_ Rolling under a vine attempting to clothesline him, Gibson formulated a plan.

_If I can inject some of the toxin into the plant's "head," I can kill the blasted thing!_ Gibson dove over two vines and swung under a third. _Of course, that won't be easy while the abomination's attention is focused solely on me. I need a distraction._ Gibson looked at the torch in his hand. _Bingo!_

Grabbing the next vine that took a swing at him with his legs, Gibson took the torch in both hands and drove it forcefully into one of the toxin pods. An unearthly screech issued from the plant as the fire rapidly spread down the vine. The vine went into spasms, sending Gibson flying into the cavern wall.

"A thousands pardons if I seem forward, madam," Gibson muttered as he pulled himself off the ground, rubbing his aching head. "But I do believe you have the hots for me." The Creeper screeched again as the fire spread rapidly to its other vines. Smoke was spreading quickly through the cavern, lowering visibility and making it increasingly difficult to breathe. Grunting, Gibson latched on to one of the few vines untouched by the fire.

"Now this is going to hurt me a lot more than it will hurt you," muttered Gibson as he stuck one of his drills in a toxin pod and sucked up the liquid. Some of the offending toxin splashed out of the pod and hit Gibson's chest. The blue monkey winced as he felt his stomach go numb. "Told you so."

Gibson fell off the vine and hit the ground hard. Rising to his feet was difficult, but he had little choice. Between the smoke, splashing toxin, and the splaying limbs, Gibson could barely see. But he could make out the form of the plant's head above him, and that was all he needed. Positioning himself, Gibson activated his rocket pack and shot towards his target. When he was almost upon the plant, the blue monkey pulled out his other drill and used it to anchor himself to the plant's head. The plant shook violently, but it couldn't dislodge the blue pest. Smiling grimly, Gibson readied his other drill.

"Now this, on the other hand, is going to hurt you _a lot_ more than it hurts me," growled Gibson. With a roar of defiance, Gibson plunged the toxin-laden drill deep into the plant and injected the toxin. The plant shrieked in agony and went into pain-induced spasms. Gibson's heart skipped a beat as he felt his drill, along with a sizable chunk of the plant, break loose from the head. With a shocked screech Gibson fell, hitting the ground with a sickening _thud_!

"I stand corrected," groaned Gibson. "That hurt quite a bit." The blue monkey attempted to rise, but found he was unable to move. Indeed, Gibson realized with a growing sense of dread, he was unable to feel his back or his legs.

_Did I break my neck?_ Gibson quickly dismissed the notion. He could still feel his arms and parts of his stomach. Lifting his head, Gibson discovered the source of his paralysis: he had fallen into a puddle of toxin.

"Fantastic," Gibson managed to utter between coughs. The cavern was now filled with smoke, and the tunnels, most of which were clogged with flaming vines, weren't venting out nearly enough off the obtrusive gas. Laying his head back on the ground, Gibson felt himself begin to lose consciousness. Turning his head to the side, the paralyzed victor cast one more glance at the burning plant.

"I'm sorry, Mandarin," Gibson whispered before falling off into oblivion.

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_Everything hurt. Everything burned. Pain was alpha and omega in the dreamless dark Gibson found himself in. But you couldn't feel pain when you were dead, could you?_

Some unknowable time later, Gibson opened his eyes. He was shocked to find himself not in a smoking cavern, but rather in the safety of his medical lab. A sudden voice caused Gibson to look to his right.

"Ah, so you finally wake up." Gibson was equal parts relieved and stunned to find that the voice belonged to Mandarin. The orange monkey was sitting next to Gibson's bed, a small smile on his face.

"I must be dead if you're smiling," Gibson managed through a dry throat. Mandarin chuckled and handed the blue monkey a glass of water.

"Drink." Gibson did as he was told, and immediately felt better for it.

"I don't understand," said Gibson as he handed the glass back to Mandarin. "You should be dead. _I_ should be dead."

"Correction, you _would_ be dead," Mandarin said as he put the glass down. "I saved you."

"What?" asked Gibson, now thoroughly confused. "How? You were trapped inside the Creeper!" Mandarin shook his head emphatically.

"Inaccurate. You _assumed_ I was trapped, just as I wanted you to."

"I…huh?" Gibson was now completely lost, which only made his pounding headache that much more unbearable. Mandarin sighed.

"I purposely made it appear that I'd been taken by the creeper. I wanted to see how you'd go about rescuing me. And by and large you did not disappoint." Gibson rubbed his head, trying to makes sense of it all.

"You…you _tricked_ me?"

"I did," Mandarin stated simply. Gibson snarled.

"I could have _died_," exclaimed an enraged Gibson.

"You were never in any real danger," Mandarin said, ignoring the blue monkey's rising temper. "I was watching from one of the tunnels the entire time. And I was quite pleased with what I saw."

"I don't care how _pleased_ you are," yelled Gibson, refusing to be placated. "What possible reason could you have to justify putting me through that?"

"I needed to teach you a lesson." Gibson's mouth hung open in disbelief, and it was all he could do not to strangle the orange offender sitting calmly in front of him.

"A…A _lesson_! You must be joking!"

"I never joke, Gibson," Mandarin stated matter-of-factly. "You had to learn to use a fighting style that is right for you, and this was the only way to do that."

"Fighting style? What on earth are you talking about?"

"No member of the Hyperforce fights the same way, Gibson," Mandarin explained. "Antauri relies heavily on the Power Primate, while Nova trusts in her innate ability as a warrior."

"Yes, yes. Those two are obvious," Gibson said with a wave of his hand. "But what about Otto and Sprx? They aren't what I would classify as strong fighters. And they didn't have to fight the deadliest plant on Shuggazoom."

"Agreed," said Mandarin. "But they don't attempt to be strong fighters. They use strategies more catered to their abilities. Otto is, of course, a wild card. He's never quite sure what he's going to do next, so there's no way his opponent can predict his movements either. Sprx, as you learned today, employs a more psychological approach. He taunts you; gets in your head. He makes you come at him angry and stupid, and then he uses it to his advantage."

"And what about you?" asked Gibson, his anger fading as his interest in the conversation grew.

"I'm me." Oddly, Gibson didn't need Mandarin to explain what he meant by that. "But what's most important is that you know what strategy to use. So tell me, Gibson. What did you learn today?"

Ignoring the parental tone Mandarin had adopted, Gibson recalled the day's events. "I was much more effective when I analyzed the situation and formulated a plan. Charging in headfirst never worked for me."

"Exactly," agreed Mandarin, the smile returning to the orange monkey's face. "You are the smartest member of the team, Gibson. Not the wisest or the toughest, but you can figure out just about any situation that gets thrown your way. Remember that, Gibson. Your strength lies not in your physical attributes, but rather your ability to _know_ your opponent's weakness, and exploit it."

"Only you can give somebody a compliment that also serves as a viable insult, Mandarin," said a smiling Gibson.

"That is where _my_ strength lies." Gibson cocked an eyeridge.

"I thought you didn't joke."

"I don't," replied Mandarin, prompting an amused snort from Gibson. The pair sat in silence for several minutes before Mandarin finally stood up and turned around. "Well, get some rest, Gibson. You have patrol first thing in the morning."

"Wait," exclaimed Gibson as he grabbed Mandarin by the arm. "Why did you go to such extreme measures? Why not just tell me?"

Sighing, Mandarin pulled his arm away from the blue monkeys grasp. Leaning forwards against the chair, Mandarin didn't look at Gibson as he responded.

"It's because I care." Gibson was caught off guard.

"Pardon me?" Mandarin turned around, and Gibson was shocked to see emotion, _real emotion_, in Mandarin's eyes.

"It's because I care, Gibson. I know I'm cold and calculating; ruthless, even. I know my methods are often extreme, but we face extreme circumstances. We are facing the greatest evil the galaxy has ever known, and that means there's no time to pull punches. The truth is I push this hard because I care about you; all of you." Gibson swallowed a lump in his throat.

"I-I see."

"You are all the closest friends I have, and I could not ask for better ones. Honestly, this team, _my_ team, is more like family than friends to me." Mandarin, who had been staring off into space during the conversation, suddenly looked Gibson in the eye. "You may question my methods, Gibson. That is only fair. But _never_ question that I love all of you dearly. That I will not tolerate." There was a moment of silence, where all Gibson could do was nod.

"So…is Sprx included in that?" asked a suddenly smirking Gibson.

"Well, loving four out of five of you isn't bad," replied Mandarin, the small smile returning to his face. The sound of the Med Bay door opening caused the pair to turn around. In the doorway stood a visibly agitated Sprx and the always serene Antauri.

"Hey, Antauri. Remember the time we got back from our patrol to find Gibson in the Med Bay?" asked Sprx, his voice laced with sarcasm. "That was a lot of fun."

Sighing, Mandarin nodded to Gibson and then made his way towards the door, only to find his way blocked by Antauri's outstretched arm.

"What happened to Gibson, Mandarin?" Antauri's voice was calm and collected, as usual. However, Mandarin simply ignored the black monkey and moved his arm out of the way. Sprx snorted as the door shut behind Mandarin, and then turned his attention to Antauri.

"Wonderful conservationist, that one. Truly an artist with the spoken word."

"What happened, Gibson?" asked Antauri, the concern in his voice not quite able to hide his amusement at Sprx's comment. "Why are you in Med Bay? What did Mandarin make you do?"

"Not much," replied Gibson. The blue monkey leaned back into his bed and closed his eye. "Just a little pruning."

**

* * *

Well, there you have it. Triumphant return, or floundering reappearance? It's up to you guys, really. Personally, I liked how this turned out.**

**Brown, I hoped you enjoyed it. This was all for you, Ms. Canada.**

**So, here's my plan for the future of this compilation. I've got several story ideas planned:**

**Sprx/Alchemist (Family)**

**Gibova (Romance)**

**Otto/Mandarin (Friendship)**

…**shoot. There was a fourth, but I forgot.**

**After that…it's up to you, dear readers. This compilation will largely be powered by requests. You want to see a pairing, you let me know. I'll do what's within my power to make it happen.**

**M'wah! Good Night, Everybody!**

_**Save Season 5!**_


	14. Losing

**This little number is a…actually, no. I won't tell. I want you to guess who it is. First person to get it right gets a free request!**

Losing

He first saw her in the Final War; the climactic battle between his brother's team and the Skeleton King to decide the fate of the universe. They won. He felt like a hero for the first time.

He next saw her when he found and assaulted the base of the "good doctor" with the help of his brother and company. They won. He felt free for the first time.

He then joined her team, and saw her every day. They fought many battles, and they always won. He felt content for the first time.

Then he saw her with _him_ whenever they won. He felt jealousy for the first time.

He asked her to see him, but she couldn't. She could only see _him_. He lost. He felt defeat for the first time.

And that did not compute.

**

* * *

So what do you think? Pretty different style from all my other fics, eh? I'm usually all about the detail and dialogue, but this is the way the story came to me. And I wanted to try writing using simplicity for a change. I liked it.**

**Remember: first person to guess the pairing gets a free request!**

**To honor a classic:**

**_SAVE SEASON 5!_  
**


	15. Turnabout Stew

**Well, Writing a story was the first person to guess correctly. And wouldn't you know it, they requested a story I was already thinking about writing.**

**Just shocking.**

**This is an Otto/Sprx Friendship piece.**

**NACHOS!**

Turnabout Stew

Nighttime on Shuggazoom found the members of the Hyperforce all comfortably asleep in their beds.

Well, everybody save a certain blue scientist.

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"Wake up, Brain Strain. Wake up, Brain Strain. Wake up, Brain Strain."

The alarm echoed throughout Gibson's lab, steadily increasing in volume the longer it played. The alarm sounded like a digital recreation of Sprx's voice, which was a conscious choice made by its creator. The blue simian wanted the alarm to be the most annoying sound in the world to ensure he couldn't sleep through it.

Groaning, Gibson roused from his slumber and lifted his head from its resting place on the desk. Judging by the piece of paper stuck to the side of his face, the blue simian had been drooling. Sighing, Gibson peeled the offending object off.

"Well, I suppose I'll have to redo those calculations," muttered Gibson. After tossing the ruined paper into the trash bin, Gibson checked the clock on his desk.

"Eesh, is it really that late already?" Gibson rose from his chair and stretched out. "Time flies when you're exploring theoretical quantum mechanics." Scratching his back, Gibson glanced at the untouched plate of mashed potatoes on his desk.

"Looks like I forgot to eat. Again." With a sigh, Gibson checked the clock again. "It's far too late to eat now. It would completely throw off the natural rhythm of my appetite." Gibson picked up the plate and was surprised by how heavy it felt. He didn't remember getting that much. Still, the blue monkey was too tired to question it. He'd probably eaten some of it, anyway. Gibson made his way to the lab's entrance. As the door whooshed open, Gibson stated the passphrase to turn off the alarm.

"Very mature, Sparky."

"Better to be immature and socially competent than the other way around." Gibson was caught off guard at this. He hadn't programmed a response. Odder still was the fact that it sounded more like a recording of Sprx's voice, not a recreation.

"Looks like the Dyslexic Duo have been tampering with my lab again," Gibson muttered. Chuckling at his own joke, Gibson made his way to the kitchen and stored the potatoes in the fridge. Then the beleaguered monkey made his way to his tube, intent on getting some well deserved sleep.

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Morning came and went, making way for an afternoon that found the Dyslexic Duo, better known as Sprx and Otto, entering the team's kitchen.

"Oh man, I'm _starving_," complained Otto. The green mechanic rubbed his stomach for added effect.

"Worry not, my bottomless friend," said a smiling Sprx. "Modern food technology has the answer."

"Oh, modern food technology. Will you ever steer us wrong?" asked Otto, now grinning goofily.

"It hasn't failed us so far," replied Sprx as he opened the fridge and began his search for something edible. A large plastic container caught the red simian's eye. "And it looks like it's come through again."

"Ooooh, mashed taters!" exclaimed Otto appreciatively as Sprx pulled the container out of the fridge.

"Nature's grace," agreed Sprx. The smile on the red monkey's face fell when he noticed the sticky note on top of the container.

_Team, please refrain from consuming the morsels inside this container. I am saving them for later. Thanks in advance._

_-Gibson_

Sprx shook his head with a dejected sigh. "Never mind, Otto. His Royal Brainy-ness has claimed dominion over these spuds." Otto frowned and held out his hand.

"Can I see the note?" Sprx handed the note to the green monkey, gazing longingly at the forbidden food.

"Darn. These looked really good, too."

_FZZZZ!_

Sprx tore his gaze away from the container. Otto was standing there with his saw out and a goofy grin plastered on his face. The shredded remnants of Gibson's note lay at the green primate's feet.

"Whoops! Clumsy me. Do you remember what it said, Sprx?" The red monkey felt his favorite smirk spread across his face.

"You know, Otto, it's the strangest thing," replied Sprx, scratching the back of his head. "For the life of me, I can't seem to recall." Otto shrugged, still grinning.

"Must not have been very important."

"You're probably right," agreed Sprx as he made his way over to the microwave. Sprx popped the top of the container and put the container in the microwave. Sprx set the timer and the ravenous pair waited anxiously for the heavenly beep that would signify that their feast was ready.

_BE-!_

Before the microwave could beep once Otto ripped open the door and pulled out his steaming prize.

"Come to Otto, you delicious poooOOOWWWW!" Otto flung the container in the air and stuck his burnt hands in his mouth. The green monkey had failed to take into account the fact that microwaving a container could make it hot. Diving, Sprx, who had the foresight to put on oven mitts, caught the plummeting meal before it hit the ground. Rising to his feet, Sprx glared at Otto.

"Sowwy aboud dat," Otto managed around his hands, spittle hitting Sprx's face in the process. "And dat."

"Don't worry about it," said Sprx as he used his tail to wipe his face. "I needed a shower anyway. Besides, you've received a just punishment." Sprx placed the potatoes on the table. Giving his hands one last, loud suck, Otto took a seat and reached for a spoon.

_Whap!_

"Ow!" Otto quickly retracted his hand after receiving a smack from Sprx's spoon.

"What do you think you're doing?" asked Sprx, tapping the spoon against his palm.

"Getting my spoon to eat," replied Otto. The green monkey was rubbing the back of his wronged hand.

"With dirty hands!" scolded Sprx. He wagged the spoon threateningly in Otto's face. "I think not! You march your butt over to the sink and wash those grubby paws right now!" Otto complied, but not without grumbles of condescension.

"There, happy n-HEY!" Otto had returned to the table to find that Sprx had already served himself a sizable portion. "You took the bigger half!"

"It's my finder's fee," stated Sprx. Otto stomped his foot on the ground, the very image of a child throwing a tantrum.

"But that's not fair!" Sprx shrugged.

"Neither is life. Now sit down and eat."

"Hmph." Otto sat down across from Sprx with his arms crossed. When the green monkey continued to pout, Sprx simply shrugged again and took a bite of the potatoes.

"Monkey Doodle, that's amazing!" exclaimed Sprx. The red simian almost melted; the flavor was so incredible. Sprx quickly took another bite, refusing to believe that something could taste that good. "Mmm! This could be the greatest thing ever. Otto you _have_ to try this."

Sprx shoveled some of the potatoes onto the green primate's plate. Otto, who had been pouting the entire time, picked up his spoon and took a bite of the food. His eyes shot open from the sudden assault on his taste buds.

"Mmf! Mff Mke Mex Mn Mm Mmuf!"

"Otto."

"Mms?"

"You have to open your mouth."

"…mm." Otto sheepishly opened his mouth and pulled out the spoon. "This stuff is awesome!"

"I'm with you there," replied Sprx. The pair clinked their spoons together in a toast before they returned to devouring their helpless, yet tasty, prey.

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"I have a few choice words for the aspect of evolution that believed drool to be a good idea."

Gibson was in his lab attempting to duplicate the paper he had ruined the previous night. So far, the blue scientist had been infuriatingly unsuccessful.

"How can I forget in _one night_ how to do this!" ranted Gibson. "It's-it's…it's inconceivable!" A sudden smell wafting through the air provided the furious monkey with a much needed distraction.

"Ugh!" Gibson covered his nose. "What is that revolting odor?" Scanning the lab, Gibson discovered the source of the smell: a plate of mashed potatoes, now a disgusting shade of green, was sitting on one of Gibson's work tables.

"Impossible," Gibson said as he made his way towards the offensive food. "The subject shouldn't have degraded this quickly. Unless…"

A horrible realization dawned on Gibson as he remembered his actions from the night before. "Oh no."

The blue monkey made a mad dash out of his lab, sprinting full tilt towards the kitchen.

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Otto and Sprx were leaning back in their chairs, each too stuffed to take another bite. Otto gave his red friend a small salute.

"My compliments to the chef." Sprx raised his spoon in acknowledgment.

"Only the finest quality for you, my friend." Otto began to laugh, but suddenly winced in pain. Sprx looked at the green simian, concerned. "You okay, Otto?"

"I don't know," replied Otto. The green monkey held his stomach tightly. "My tummy just started to hurt."

"You probably just ate too much," suggested Sprx.

"I guess," said Otto. The green primate suddenly doubled over, resting his head on the table's edge. "It just…hurts. Guh." Otto slipped off of his chair and landed hard on the ground. The green mechanic held his stomach tightly as he writhed around in pain.

"Otto!" Sprx pushed away from the table and stood up quickly. "Otto, hang on m-AGH!" Sprx suddenly fell to his knees and clutched at his stomach. A sudden pain had torn through him, and the agony seemed to spread throughout his body.

"Ugh." Sprx curled up in a ball, at that moment wanting nothing more than to die.

"S-Sprx?" Otto managed to whisper between clenched teeth.

"Yeah?"

"I-I think I…think I remember what that n-note said."

"Oh?"

"Y-Yeah." Otto somehow managed to ignore the pain induced spasms that wracked his body to roll over to look at Sprx under the table. "I'm…I'm pretty sure it said karma sucks."

"Yeah," Sprx replied. The red monkey let out the most painful laugh of his life. "I seem to recall it saying something along those lines."

Otto managed a pained chuckle and rested his head on the ground. "Yeah."

The pair lay in silence for a while, with the only sounds being an occasional grunt of pain.

"Sprx?" asked Otto, breaking the slience.

"Yeah?" replied Sprx. The red monkey was staring at the ceiling, trying to count all the places he would kiss if the pain were to stop.

"I-I need to tell you something. In case I…In case I don't make it."

"Don't be so melodramatic, Otto," Sprx laughed, which he immediately regretted. "It's just food poisoning or something."

"Sprx." The seriousness of Otto's voice caused Sprx to turn and look at the green monkey. Otto was reaching under the table towards Sprx, his hand out. Understanding, Sprx reached out as well and grasped the offered hand.

"I just…just wanted to let you know that…you've been a good friend. The best." Otto grinned, the goofiness not quite able to hide the pain. A tear rolled down Sprx's cheek. Whether it was from the pain or his emotions, he'd never know.

"Thanks, Otto. You haven't been too shabby, either." Sprx gave Otto's hand a reassuring squeeze.

"It's been an…honor and a privilege, Sprx." The red monkey sniffed hard.

"I love you, man." Suddenly, as if in response to Sprx's words, Otto pulled his hand away and rolled over. "What? Did I lay it on too heavy?"

_RALPH!_

Otto pushed himself to his knees, staring down at his regurgitated meal.

"Ugh," Sprx muttered as he turned away. "This is why we don't have emotional moments, Otto."

"I…don't understand," Otto whispered. The green monkey wiped remnants of puke from his mouth.

"I think it's pretty obvious why we don't," commented Sprx.

"No, not that," said Otto. "That throw up. It…it tasted _better_ coming up than it did going down."

"What the heck are you talking about?" asked Sprx. A sudden bubbling in his stomach informed the red simian that he was about to find out.

_RALPH!_

Sprx stared at his upchuck, disbelief evident on his face. "That's…that's not possible."

"Told you." Sprx glanced over at Otto. The green monkey was still on the ground, leaning against his chair. His goofy grin was no longer marred by pained winces. "How do you feel?"

"How do I feel? I feel…fine." Sprx rubbed his stomach, too shocked to believe it. "I feel fine."

Sprx looked back at Otto. "What the heck is going on?"

"I believe I can answer that." Sprx and Otto looked up to see Gibson, looking to the entire world like a child who just broke his neighbor's window.

"What did you do to us, brain strain?" demanded Sprx, his anger rising.

"It was an accident, I assure you!" Gibson said, hands raised in a placating gesture. "You see, recently I've been working on creating a chemical that makes regurgitating food taste as delicious as when it's eaten. Unfortunately, tests have indicated that the chemical results in…debilitating cramps and forced regurgitation." Gibson began poking his index fingers together in an attempt to avoid looking at Sprx and Otto.

"So…you poisoned us?" asked an incredulous Otto.

"No, no, no! Well, not intentionally." Gibson was becoming increasingly uncomfortable and was blushing so hard his face was purple.

"Why would you want to make something like that in the first place, Einstein?" Sprx demanded as he pulled himself to his feet.

"I…well, now that you mention it I never really thought about that." Sprx and Otto stared at Gibson, not believing what they were hearing.

"_What_?" Gibson took a step back, a nervous smile on his face.

"Yes, well…" Gibson cleared his throat. "The important thing is you're fine now. And I really must be getting back to work. Toodles!" The blue monkey shot off faster than either Sprx or Otto had ever seen him move, making a beeline for the relative safety of his tube. Otto and Sprx looked at each other, neither quite sure what to do.

"Well," began Otto after a while, "I guess we should clean up the rest of this stuff." Shaking his head to help clear his mind of its stupor, Sprx grabbed Otto's arm just as the green monkey was about to dump the rest of the potatoes into the disposal.

"Hold on there, Otto. Let's not be so hasty."

"What are you talking about, Sprx," asked a baffled Otto. "You want to eat the rest of this stuff?"

"No," replied Sprx. A devilish smile spread across his crimson features. "But there's no reason to be wasteful." Letting go of Otto's arm, Sprx made his way over to the counter and picked up the apron resting on it.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Otto?" Sprx asked as he began to tie on the apron. Otto grinned.

"I think so, Sprx, but I'm not sure they make horse costumes in our size." Sprx froze mid-knot, not quite sure what to do.

"No, Otto. I was thinking that we should show Gibson that there are no hard feelings. After all, the poor guy always forgets to grab a bite to _eat_."

"Oh. _Oh_." Otto's grin turned as maniacal as Sprx's. "Yeah, I see."

"It's the least we can do," said Sprx as he pulled a large mixing bowl from one of the cupboards.

"He works so hard, after all," agreed Otto. The green monkey donned a large chef hat and put the potatoes on the counter.

After cleaning up the puke with a liberal application of sawdust, the Diabolical Duo cooked up a little something they affectionately named "Turnabout Stew."

**

* * *

And that's a wrap!**

**A return to my more descriptive style. I made this one more of a comedy story because, well, not ALL pairing stories have to be mushy and emotionally charged. I felt like this was the way Sprx and Otto would bond.**

**Hope you liked it, Writing a story. And stay out of my mind.**

**Next one should be a Sprx/Alchemist family piece.**

**Until we meet again:**

_**SAVE SEASON 5!**_


	16. Biggest Fan

**I had planned to have this be a Sprx/Alchemist piece, but this story came to me last night and I just HAD to do it.**

**I actually had to go back and watch the episode to find the name of the planet. Curse you, research!**

**This is a Gyrus Krinkle/Monkey Team piece. One-sided, of course.**

**Begin!**

Biggest Fan

Ranger Seven. The galactic equivalent of an insane asylum. Only the most deranged and twisted minds called the place home. One such lost soul was the self-proclaimed Number One Fan of the Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce: Gyrus Krinkle.

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"I believe that's checkmate, Antauri."

The black furred monkey studied the chess board closely before putting on a good-natured smile.

"I find myself forced to agree, Gyrus," agreed Antauri. "What do you say? Best four-out-of-seven?" Before Gyrus had a chance to respond a strong feminine voice cut him off.

"Not so fast, Antauri. Krinkle and I were gonna spar after your stupid chess game, and I've been waiting long enough." Gyrus looked down at the strong-willed yellow female currently tugging on his arm. "Come on, Gyrus. You promised you'd show me that new technique you invented." Krinkle laughed and glanced back at Antauri.

"Sorry, Antauri. But I _did_ promise her."

"And there's nothing more hazardous to your health than breaking a promise you made to Nohvs." The trio turned their attention to the source of the new voice.

"Sprx!" Letting go of Gyrus, Nova rushed over to the red monkey and practically wrapped herself around his arm. The red monkey kissed her cheek before turning to Gyrus, a big smirk on the crimson simian's face.

"Sorry, Gyrus, but she _is_ my girl. She belongs on _my_ arm." Krinkle laughed and waved off Sprx's words.

"Don't even worry about it, Sprx. I still can't get over the fact that you two finally got together."

"It's all thanks to you, Gyrus," replied Nova as she snuggled into Sprx's arm. Krinkle blushed and looked away.

"Oh please, I didn't do anything. Sprx just needed a little shove in the right direction," said Gyrus, throwing the red monkey a wink. Sprx laughed and gave his friend thumbs-up.

"All the same, thanks. I wouldn't have had the strength to tell her without you." Gyrus smiled, and then looked down when he felt his arm being tugged on again.

"Gyrus!" exclaimed Otto, his eyes shining with excitement. "I put the finishing touches on those rocket boots we've been working on. They're ready for testing!"

"Excellent! I've been waiting for this. Let's go now!" A prim and proper voice called out, halting Krinkle's rising excitement.

"Not so fast, Mr. Krinkle," said Gibson. The blue monkey was scrutinizing a clipboard, scratching his head in confusion. "I have so far been unable to synthesize the fuel the boots will require. Thoughts?"

Gyrus took the clipboard from his scientific colleague. The master mechanic only needed a few seconds to spot the issue. "Here's the problem, Gibson! You forgot to counterbalance the equation with a coefficient right here." Krinkle pointed to the part of the equation he was talking about and handed it back to Gibson. The simian did some quick calculations, and then smiled broadly.

"Ingenious, Gyrus! This should give us more than enough thrust. I must say, it's refreshing to find such an intelligent being to converse with."

"Not to mention a cute one." Krinkle blushed fitfully as Jinmay suddenly planted a kiss on his cheek. "How have you been, Krinky?"

"I-I've b-been fine, Jinmay," replied Gyrus, stumbling over his words. The embarrassed man twiddled his thumbs in an attempt to avoid looking at the beautiful goddess currently smiling at him. "And yourself?"

"Wonderful! But we've been apart _far_ too long." Gyrus was about to attempt a coherent response when an angry voice rang out.

"What's going on here?" Everyone present turned their attention to the voice's owner, Chiro. The look on the boy's face was anything but friendly. Krinkle attempted to swallow a large lump that had formed in his throat. Suddenly, the anger faded from Chiro's face and was replaced by a good-natured glare. "You trying to make time on my best girl, Gyrus?"

Chuckling, Gyrus shook his head. "Wouldn't dream of it, Chiro. Especially not so close to the wedding."

"Speaking of the wedding," said Jinmay as she took hold of Chiro's hand, "I believe Chiro has something he wants to ask you."

"Oh, yeah!" exclaimed Chiro, smacking his forehead. "I almost forgot! Gyrus, Jinmay and I were wondering if you would do us the honor of being the best man at the wedding."

A tear rolled down Krinkle's cheek. "Are you…are you sure, Chiro? After how we first met, I would understand if-" Chiro cut him off with a wave of his hand.

"That's ancient history, Gyrus. Water under the bridge. Time and again, you've proven that you're not only the best Ear pilot we have, but also the best friend." Chiro offered his hand. With a loud sniff, Gyrus wiped his eyes and grasped the offered hand.

"It would be my honor, Chiro. And if I may be so bold as to make a suggestion, I believe Antauri would make an excellent Justice-of-the-Peace." Antauri looked up at the mention of his name, his serene smile ever present.

"An excellent idea, Gyrus. My training under the Veron Mystics certifies me to perform marriage ceremonies."

"Excellent!" exclaimed Gyrus. He rubbed his hands together in excitement. "I was thinking the wedding should be in the spring, because that's Jinmay's natural color and-"

"Good evening, Mr. Krinkle." The voice didn't belong to any member of the Hyperforce. It belonged to _her_. "May I come in?"

Gyrus looked around at his now empty cell and sighed. "Yes, nurse. You may come in. I'm decent." Krinkle heard the nurse laugh at his little joke, and it filled him with rage. But he hid his emotions and instead put on that look of absentminded obedience that made her so happy. So _revoltingly_ happy.

"And how are we feeling today, Gyrus?" asked the nurse as she put down a tray containing that night's dinner and medication. Every fiber of Gyrus' being wanted to strangle the woman, but he knew it wasn't the time. Too much was at stake. So the man simply smiled and shrugged.

"I can't say how _we're _feeling, but I know I'm feeling fine." The nurse laughed again, and Gyrus had to bite his tongue to restrain his violent thoughts.

"See, Gyrus? When I first replaced your robotic guar-…orderly, you wouldn't acknowledge me. And now you're making jokes! You're really making progress, Gyrus."

It was true. When Krinkle had grown too…_attached_ to his mechanical guard, called orderlies for morale purposes, the powers-that-be decided he needed human contact. From the moment he saw the nurse's pretty face, Gyrus had hated her. It wasn't any fault of hers, of course. Gyrus hated most people. He didn't have much patience for non-mechanized life. It was probably a result of his mother's influence. Indeed, his best friend Chiro was one of the few humans whose life Gyrus valued.

"Thank you, nurse. It's all thanks to you." The nurse smiled at the praise, and it threatened to set Gyrus off. Of course, she didn't know that.

"Thank you, Gyrus, but all the praise goes to you. You've been very brave and have made tremendous strides."

_Of course it's all my doing, you blithering idiot!_

"Thank you, nurse. But a house is only as strong as the foundation it's built upon." The nurse grinned and gestured to the medication.

"Can I trust you to take your medication without me?"

"I'll do you one better." Crossing the room quickly, Gyrus picked up his pills, popped them in his mouth, and swallowed. The nurse seemed to radiate pride.

"And taking your pills without a fuss! Oh, marvelous, Gyrus!" Krinkle simply smiled. "Well, if you've got everything you need, I'll be going."

Gyrus waved to the nurse as she let. After waiting a good five minutes, Gyrus walked over to his chamber pot and spit out the pills he had been hiding under his tongue.

"Nice try, witch," Gyrus muttered as he wiped his mouth on his sleeve. "But you'll not be poisoning Gyrus Krinkle anytime soon."

When the Hyperforce had first brought Gyrus here, he had snapped. He could admit that. But after all those hallucinated missions, Antauri, _the real Antauri_, had snuck into Gyrus' cell. And he had brought news.

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"_Gyrus, we're sorry you've had to go all through this," Antauri had said. "But it was the only way. We brought you here for a reason. And that reason is-"_

_Antauri had been cut off by the sound of footsteps outside the cell door. Quickly, the black monkey had turned back to look at Gyrus._

"_You'll figure it out, Gyrus. Good luck." And then the monkey had ghosted through the floor. The sound of his cell opening had caused Gyrus to look up from the ground and get his first look at-_

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-the nurse. It had immediately struck Krinkle as odd that he, the only patient with connections to the Hyperforce, should receive a human nurse. Nobody else had one. His innate sense of danger, coupled with Antauri's words of warning, had caused Gyrus to realize the horrible truth.

The nurse was a Skeleton King spy.

It made perfect sense once Gyrus had thought about it. What better place for the Skeleton King to recruit followers than the deranged madhouse of Ranger Seven? Obviously the nurse would plant seeds of obedience to the Skeleton King in her patients. Then, with "therapy," those seeds would grow into full fledged loyalty. It was diabolically brilliant.

But not brilliant enough to get past the Hyperforce.

Gyrus still felt guilty for ever doubting his team. Had they not always had his back? Had Sprx not stuck by him when the Ears were low on fuel while they were scouting Tarantan? Indeed, Gyrus could distinctly remember three separate instances where Otto had saved his life on Pelanor Five. And as a reward for their loyalty and faith, he had accused them of abandoning him in a loony bin. That lack of faith was a scar Gyrus would forever carry on his soul, no matter how many times the team told him there was nothing to forgive.

But now he had a chance to make it up to the team. He was on the inside, and the secret training he'd been undergoing daily was about to pay off. Chess with Antauri had strengthened his mind and allowed him to manipulate the nurse. Sparring with Nova ensured he could handle any physical challenge that came his way. Sprx had taught him the importance of charisma and a good joke. Gibson and Otto's rocket boots were simply a decoy, an integral distraction to avert attention from Krinkle's master plan. And Chiro and Jinmay's wedding…that gave Gyrus something to look forward to. An inviting light at the end of this sterilized, heavily cushioned tunnel.

The time was soon coming for Gyrus to take over the prison. Then he would make the nurse talk. He'd enjoy finally being able to shut her up. Her voice was so full of poisoned honey it hurt his ears just to listen to it. And once the prison was his and the nurse had spilt her guts, Gyrus would contact the team.

And then they would move on the Skeleton King.

Smiling, Gyrus sat down against the wall and stared at his food. He didn't eat anything unless Gibson checked it first. He'd have to wait for the blue monkey's return. To avoid blowing Krinkle's cover, the team had disappeared when the nurse arrived. But they'd be back. They always came back for him.

After all, he was their biggest fan.

**

* * *

Oh my God, this was SO much fun to write!**

**I could contradict what I'd written two lines prior, make it disjointed, and implore all sorts of logical fallacies. And it's all thanks to Gyrus being nuttier than a pecan log.**

**Thank you, Mr. Ciro Nieli, for giving me such an entertaining character to write.**

**Delving into madness for the fun of it:**

_**SAVE SEASON 5!**_


	17. Conundrums

**Yet again, I put off doing the Sprx/Alchemist piece. Why? I don't know. I love Sprx and I have it all planned. Just hasn't come out yet.**

**Also, this is the piece I forgot all that time ago. I wanted to write it before I forgot.**

**This is an Ottova. Of sorts. Well, you'll see.**

**Enjoy!**

Conundrums

_I don't like her. Wait, no, that's not right. I do like her. I just don't __**like**__ her. But…do I? Darn, this is confusing._

Otto, the green furred mechanic of the Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce, lay beneath a tree in one of Shuggazoom's many parks. But this wasn't just any old ordinary tree. Oh no, this was a special tree. It was Otto's thinking tree. The green primate had even put up a sign to prove it. Otto always came to this spot when he had something that needed pondering.

And did he have something to ponder this time.

"How do I feel about Nova?" Otto thought aloud. The monkey silently hoped that the tree would answer him. But that was just silly, even by his standards. Otto had spent the last hour asking himself that very question. So far the only thing he'd accomplished was counting all the leaves on the tree. There were two-hundred-sixteen of them, but only if you were counting the non-ripped ones. If you included _all_ the leaves, the total came to-

"No, no, no!" Otto whacked himself in the head repeatedly. He didn't have time for distractions. He needed to answer the nagging question before he went from his normal level of zaniness to completely insane.

"Alright, let's try going over it again." The way Otto saw it his feelings for Nova would have to fit into one of three categories: friend, sister, or…lover. Otto gulped at the thought of Nova being his significant other.

True, he constantly blushed whenever she complimented him. He also enjoyed the rare occasions when she flirted with him. But at the thought of kissing her, the green monkey could only gag. It would be like kissing his sister.

But that was just it; he knew he didn't think of her as a sister. He could spend all the time in the world with her, and he _knew_ that wasn't a common feeling among siblings. After all, Otto saw Antauri as his older brother, and the green monkey could only stand spending so much time around the serene guru.

So that only left friend, right? But that just didn't fit. Otto cared for Nova _way_ too much for her to be a simple friend. She was definitely closer to a sister or a lover, but Otto had already eliminated those.

_So what are you, Nova? My…daughter?_ Otto dismissed the thought as soon as it occurred to him. The green monkey knew himself, and he was quite certain he wasn't the fatherly type. He was more of the big, lovable brother. But he didn't think of Nova as a sister. So what in _blazes_ was she to him?

"Gah! This is so annoying!" Otto covered his eyes and began kicking his legs up and down in an immature tantrum. When his childish antics yielded no results, the green furred primate let out an exasperated sigh and allowed his flailing limbs to fall to the ground.

Giving up for the moment, Otto simply watched the clouds sail by. The green monkey attempted to identify each one's shape.

"That one's a duck. That one's a flower. That's…a three legged spider? That one's…well, that one's just a cloud." One cloud in particular perked Otto's interest. It looked strikingly like a hooded man.

"Heh. Kind of like the Alchemist." Something suddenly clicked in Otto's mind, causing the simian to sit bolt upright.

"That's it!" The Alchemist had used a special pet name for Nova, Otto realized. The alchemist had called the yellow warrior his "Dearest Nova."

"That's how I feel about her," Otto whispered reverently. "Not a friend, not a sister, not a lover. She's just…my Dearest Nova." For the first time that day, Otto was able to grin.

"Glad I got that all squared away," Otto muttered as he lay back down. "Now on to a more important conundrum: what do they call those little plastic caps on shoelaces?"

**

* * *

Well, there you have it. That's how I see Otto and Nova's relationship. They're too close to be friends, too flirty to be siblings, and too much like family to be lovers.**

**Hope you guys enjoyed it!**

**Next story should **_**hopefully**_** be the Sprx/Alchemist piece.**

**Staying true to form:**

_**SAVE SEASON 5!**_


	18. Hands

**Finally, after many trials and tribulations, I get it done.**

**This is the Sprx/Alchemist Family story.**

**Thank God.**

Hands

An indignant screech.

_POW!_

_CRASH!_

The Alchemist turned around at the cacophony of sound, not the least bit surprised by what he found.

A dazed SPRX-77 was sprawled in a heap amidst the ruins of one of the Alchemist's many worktables while Nova stomped away. The yellow monkey was trying to hide it, but the Alchemist could tell she was secretly sniffing the flower SPRX-77 must have just given her. The Alchemist chuckled.

_Your perseverance is remarkable, Sprx._ Rising from his chair, the Alchemist strode over to the downed simian and knelt next to him.

"Are you alright, SPRX-77?" At the sound of the Alchemist's voice Sprx shook himself from his stupor. After surveying the damage he had caused the red monkey locked his gaze on his feet, clearly mortified.

"Ooh ooh ah!" The Alchemist laughed and patted the embarrassed primate on the head.

"Don't fret, my red friend. I have become accustomed to the destruction that follows in Dearest Nova's wake."

Sprx smiled in relief. "Ah ah!"

"Still, if you wish to make amends, you can help me with my current project." Without waiting for a reply, the Alchemist scooped up Sprx and carried him over to the workbench. After placing Sprx on the table, the Alchemist gestured to his experiment. "Do you know what these are, SPRX-77?"

Sprx studied the objects in question. They were magnets, he realized. The red monkey interlocked his hands in a representation of magnetism, indicating his understanding to the Alchemist. "Ooh ah."

"Correct, my friend," said the Alchemist with a smile. The hooded man ruffled the hair on Sprx's head fondly, earning a good-natured glare. "These are going to be your weapons in the future."

This caught the red furred simian off guard. "Ooh ooh ooh!"

"I assume you are commenting on what an odd choice the magnets are," stated the Alchemist. "Especially given the robotic enhancements I intend to give you all."

Sprx nodded. "Ah."

"Well, the robotic enhancements are _why_ I am giving you the magnets. You're the failsafe."

"Ooh ah?" The red furred primate was now utterly lost.

"Yours is a dangerous destiny, Sprx," explained the Alchemist. "All of you monkeys have been chosen for an extremely important, and deadly, mission. You will face the greatest evil this universe has ever known. Such a power can be corruptive. I know there is a strong possibility that at least one of you will turn to the dark path; this is the reality of the situation."

The Alchemist strode over to a different table, this one littered with various mechanical scraps and the makings of what appeared to be an energy sword. "What I require is somebody I can trust. Someone to make sure that anybody who succumbs to the darkness never gets the chance to hurt the team." The Alchemist turned away from the sword, once more settling his gaze on Sprx.

"I require you, Sprx." The red monkey could only point at himself. The Alchemist smiled gently.

"Yes. You. You embody the most important quality I can think of: perseverance. When you pursue something, it is with an unshakable single-minded determination. You've shown it countless times: in the flight simulators, during combat training," a twinkle entered the Alchemist's eye, "in your pursuit of Nova."

Sprx blushed at the Alchemist's comment, quickly turning to hide his embarrassment. Chuckling, the Alchemist walked over to Sprx and placed a comforting hand on the red simian's shoulder.

"What I am saying is that I see in you a great strength, SPRX-77. You have the strength to never lose sight of your goal; to follow it through to the end. It is because of this that I trust you wholeheartedly to be the team's failsafe."

The Alchemist let go of Sprx's shoulder and picked up the magnets. "Do you accept?"

Sprx stood there silently for a long while, not sure what to do. The Alchemist waited patiently for a response. Slowly, a smirk spread across Sprx's lips. The red monkey had never really smirked before, but it felt natural; it felt right.

Just like this.

Making up his mind, Sprx reached out for the offered magnets. The Alchemist smiled as Sprx's hands neared their destination. Carefully, almost reverently, Sprx closed his fingers around his target until he was firmly grasping-

-the Fire of Hate.

The red simian recoiled in horror. He couldn't comprehend what he was holding. Sprx shut his eyes tightly, refusing to open them lest he see the terror that awaited him.

"SPRX-77?" a concerned voice called. "Sprx! Are you alright?"

Slowly, Sprx opened his eyes. He was greeted by the concerned face of the Alchemist. Not sure what was going on, Sprx checked to see if he was still holding the Fire of Hate in his hands. But the red monkey didn't have any hands at all. Where his hands should have been were magnets. What was more; both of his arms were mechanical. The red furred simian was a cyborg now.

And the Fire of Hate was nowhere to be seen.

"Are you alright, Sprx?"

Shaking his head, Sprx turned his attention to the Alchemist. The red primate's favorite smirk played across his lips. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just got lost in a daydream, I guess."

"Yes, well, please try and stay focused," said the Alchemist. The hooded man looked strained and beyond exhausted. He always looked exhausted nowadays.

"Sorry."

"It's fine. Are you ready to begin the test?"

"Definitely. What do you need me to do?"

"Just some routine lifting," replied the Alchemist. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small metal nail. "We'll start off small. Please lift this nail above your head using your magnets."

Sprx snorted as the Alchemist placed the nail on the table. "Come on, doc. You know I aim high. Let's try something a little bigger."

"Very well, SPRX-77. I shall humor you. What do you want to lift?" Sprx scanned the room, his gaze finally settling on a large metal table.

"I was thinking that table there." It was the Alchemists turn to snort.

"SPRX-77, it is _highly_ unlikely that you will be able to lift such a large object your first time using the magnets."

"Never tell me the odds, doc." The Alchemist sighed and motioned for Sprx to continue.

"Very well, 77. If you must you must." Smirking, Sprx aimed his magnets at the table.

"Here goes nothing." Magnetic beams shot out from Sprx's magnets, capturing the table in a faint glow. Setting his feet, Sprx began to raise his arms over his head, bringing the table with them. "Hggrh."

"Don't strain yourself, Sprx," cautioned the Alchemist, his voice heavy with concern.

"Don't worry, old man. This is doing wonders for my lower back. Not to mention it's _really_ toning my glutes." The Alchemist could only shake his head.

"If you say so."

Grunting, Sprx slowly lifted the table above his head. With a final burst of energy from Sprx, the table reached its destination. Panting, the satisfied monkey turned to the Alchemist.

"Marvelous work, Sprx," congratulated the Alchemist.

A smile spread across the old man's face as he applauded Sprx's accomplishment. It was that smile that made it all worthwhile for Sprx. The applause and praise were nice, of course. But seeing the Alchemist smile was becoming an even rarer occurrence than seeing him fully rested. It was nice to bring a bit of joy to the old coot.

An agonized scream above him caused Sprx to look up. What he saw made his heart stop. The metal table had been replaced by something far more important.

_Nova_.

The yellow monkey was suspended in the air above Sprx's head, held there by the red monkey's magnets. Nova was writhing in pain as cracks formed on her helmet and her circuitry neared the ripping point.

"Fight it, Sprx! I love you too much to lose you!" A single tear fell from Nova's face and splashed on Sprx's nose.

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"Gah!"

Sprx awoke from his dream in a cold sweat. Breathing hard, the red monkey covered his face with his hands in an attempt to calm down.

His hands. Sprx moved his hands away from his face and simply stared at them.

They were the hands the Alchemist had trusted to protect the team.

They were the hands that were always calm and steady in the cockpit.

They were the hands that longed to hold Nova's.

They were the hands that had grabbed the Fire of Hate.

They were the hands that fought his friends for the Soul of Evil.

They were the hands that had nearly ripped Nova apart.

…they were the hands that had resurrected the Skeleton King.

They were the hands that had betrayed the Alchemist; his father. They had betrayed Nova; his love. They had betrayed everybody Sprx held dear.

Sprx looked long and hard at his hands. The hands that had done so much good for the universe. The hands that had undone it all.

Sprx looked at his hands.

And cried.

* * *

…**damn, that's a bit depressing for me. And to make it stranger, I was listening to a rather upbeat song most of the time I was writing this.**

**Very odd.**

**Anyway, I'm glad I finally got that done. I enjoyed it!**

**Hope you guys did too!**

**EDIT: beautybelle300256 called my attention to the fact that the intro to this story is remarkably similar to a piece of art done by Sniggyfrumps. I barely realized I did this until I was proofreading. So I recommend you go check out Sniggy's work on deviantART. She deserves the views.**

**Next story will be a Gibova, but until then:**

_**SAVE SEASON 5!**_


	19. Contact

**Anybody up for a little Gibova goodness?**

**Well too bad, because you're getting it anyway.**

**Forced enjoyment!**

Contact

_Holding hands was simply a physical phenomenon. The warmth and comfort of another's hand in yours was the result of your somatosensory system doing its job; nothing more. There was no special or significant meaning behind the gesture. It was just physical contact. Gibson knew all of this._

That didn't stop the blue monkey from blushing as Nova grabbed his hand.

"Don't worry, Gibson. I've got you."

Gibson looked down. He was currently hanging over the edge of a cliff. Nova's hand was the only thing keeping the blue primate from a long fall.

_Gibson had never really cared for heights. This was rather odd, because the blue simian piloted one of the team's aircraft. Now that Gibson thought about it, the whole thing was absurdly illogical. And Gibson detested all things illogical._

_Because of this, most people believed he was disapproving of romantic feelings, or just feelings in general. This always amused Gibson. The blue monkey was not some straw man scientist out of a movie. He knew there were numerous biological and evolutionary reasons for feelings._

_Why do we fall in love? Simple. We naturally seek to survive and reproduce. We see an ideal mate and covet them. Which explained jealousy as well. We don't wish to share our mate, after all._

_Yes; Gibson knew there were logical explanations for emotions. He should know. He was in love, after all._

"My thanks, Nova," said Gibson. "I'm not quite ready to try flying without the Fist Rocket."

_Yes, Gibson was in love. It was easily explained. It was logical. Gibson looked for logic in everything._

_But no matter how long he pondered it, no matter what angle he approached it from, there was still one thing the blue monkey was forced to admit was illogical; the universe. Life itself was illogical._

_Why was he a monkey? Why was he here? Why was anything here?_

_Gibson was in no way, shape, or form a religious man. He believed in what could be quantified. But faced with the unexplainable, sheer illogical nature of the universe, Gibson could certainly see why some beings sought comfort in a higher power._

Nova smiled. "That's why you're the smart monkey, Gibson." The golden warrior pulled Gibson up. Letting go of his hand, Nova smashed her fists together. "Now how about you and me go bash some Formless before the others get them all?"

_Gibson understood religion, he really did. It was just the blue monkey's nature to take comfort in something far more concrete._

_Nova. Gibson loved the yellow female with every fiber of his being. She represented what the blue monkey so desperately desired when faced with the impossible nature of the universe; certainty. Nova was always so sure of herself, strong no matter the challenge. Nothing was ever too big for the pink-eyed simian._

_She had the reassuring strength that Gibson desperately wished he had. And the blue primate loved Nova for it._

"A marvelous idea, Nova," replied Gibson. The blue monkey pulled out his drills. "A little physical contact goes a long way in a relationship."

With a chuckle, Nova spun around and charged into the fray, unleashing a roar of challenge. Smiling, Gibson chased after her.

_Gibson knew it was illogical to hide his feelings from his yellow teammate. He knew he should just tell her and deal with the repercussions._

_But the middle of a battle, or a war for that matter, was hardly the best time to profess your love to someone._

_Gibson would wait for the logical time to tell Nova how he felt. It was in his nature._

**

* * *

So, first try at a Gibova.**

**Not sure it turned out great. But it'll do.**

**Next update will be a Chiro/Sprx friendship.**

**Stay frosty:**

_**SAVE SEASON 5!**_


	20. Movie Night

**Wahoo! Twentieth story! A fifth of the way there, I am.**

**This being such a milestone, the story will of course feature Han Solo. I mean Sprx.**

**This is a Sprx/Chiro Friendship piece.**

**TWENTY BABY!**

Movie Night

Friday night was movie night for most of the denizens of Shuggazoom, and the Hyperforce was no exception.

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Movie night always unfolded the same way for the Hyperforce.

The first movie would always be a documentary, because Gibson wouldn't watch anything else. After it ended, Antauri would politely excuse himself in that Antauri-way of his, leaving the team to debate what the second film would be.

Otto would always suggest an animated movie; the goofiness and light-hearted nature appealed to the green monkey. So did the pretty colors, for that matter.

Nova was partial to summer action movies, for obvious reasons.

Sprx always cast his vote for a romantic comedy, which were where the red monkey got most of his pick-up lines.

Chiro and Jinmay would propose a horror movie because it gave them a rather unnecessary excuse to hold hands.

And Gibson, of course, would demand they finish the ten-part documentary series they had started.

Whatever the movie chosen was, and it was never Gibson's, what happened next was as reliable as the sunrise. Gibson would complain about how illogical _this_ was, or how shoddy the acting was in _that_ scene, or how that white girl really shouldn't be going down _those_ steps. Without fail, it would become so annoying that the other team members would kick the blue monkey out before the movie's halfway point.

After the second film finished without any further distractions from Gibson, Otto and Nova would dismiss themselves and head off to sleep. Jinmay would leave as well, often to go gaze at the stars, but sometimes to either patrol the city or simply power off for the night.

This would leave Chiro and Sprx alone to decide on the final movie to watch. This suited the pair just fine, because they were the team's movie buffs anyway.

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"Alright, kid. What'll it be tonight?" Chiro shook his head.

"No, no, I picked last week," said Chiro. "It's your turn."

"You spoil me," replied Sprx. Chiro laughed as Sprx rifled through the team's vast movie collection.

"Anything for you, Sparky," joked Chiro, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. Sprx snorted.

"Keep that up and I'll put Gibson's physics documentary back on."

"Okay, okay, no need to kill a fly with a cannon," said Chiro. Smiling, Sprx turned around and held up a movie.

"I think I found just the movie. You ever see this one?" Sprx removed the disc before tossing the case to Chiro. The teen's face lit up as he recognized the cover.

"_Galaxy Assault_? Oh, man. I remember seeing this in theaters. It was amazing!"

"Sounds like a ringing endorsement to me," replied Sprx. The red monkey loaded the movie and then joined Chiro on the couch.

"You ever see it, Sprx?" The cyborg simian shook his head.

"Me? Nah. I tried to get Nova to go see it with me, but she accused me of trying to get her to go on a date and threw me off the Robot." Chiro laughed.

"Well, were you?" Sprx gave his companion a confused look.

"Was I what?"

"Trying to get her to go on a date?"

"Well, I may or may not have had flowers with me."

Chiro laughed. "Oh, Sprx. You're incorrigible, man."

"I'll take that as a compliment," replied Sprx, smirking.

The pair sat in silence as the coming attractions began to play. Sighing, Sprx picked up the remote and attempted to skip to the menu. But the movie was having none of it.

_Action not available at this time._

"Monkey doodle." Sprx dropped the remote and rubbed his face. "Answer me one question, kid. What's the point of having a button that lets you skip to the menu if you can't _skip to the menu_?"

Chiro shrugged. "They have to advertise the stuff somehow, Sprx."

"Yeah, well, that's _their_ problem," said the red monkey. Chiro laughed.

"Yeah, I guess it is."

Sprx and Chiro watched a preview for some movie about break dancing pelicans. Otto would probably try and drag them to see that when it came out.

"Speaking of problems, how are you and Jinmay doing?" asked Sprx.

"Uh…we're fine?" replied Chiro.

"Really? No trouble in paradise?"

"No, everything's fine," said Chiro. The teen cocked a quizzical eyebrow. "Why?"

Sprx smirked and leaned back into the couch. "It's just amazing how perfect you two are for each other. You guys really have no issues at all?"

Chiro smiled. "Well, I _do_ have a tendency to leave the seat up."

"Yeah, well, that's just something women need to get used to about men," replied Sprx with a chuckle.

The pair shared a laugh, and then watched a trailer for some story about a kid from the streets who gained acceptance at a prestigious university with his "radalicious" dance moves. It looked about as good as it sounded.

"On the topic of relationships, why don't any of you guys date?" asked Chiro.

"Uh, because it's hard to find somebody who's willing to deal with you fighting ultimate evil seven days out of the week?"

"I found somebody," countered Chiro. Sprx threw him a wry grin.

"First of all, she found you. Second, maybe we're just not the dating type?"

Chiro shook his head. "I can't believe that. What about Otto?"

"Can you see Otto dating?" asked Sprx. "Don't get me wrong, he's a great guy. Sweet and trusting; all that good stuff. But he just comes off as a big brother to everybody."

"Yeah, I guess so. But what about Antauri?" Sprx snorted.

"Antauri? The guy's already married to his job, kid. He could never relax enough to go on a date."

Chiro nodded. "That's pretty true. Blunt, but true."

"Besides," said Sprx, a mischievous twinkle in his eye, "that stick up his butt would get pretty jealous if he ever started dating."

Chiro laughed and shoved Sprx playfully. "You're terrible."

"I call 'em like I see 'em," replied Sprx with a smirk.

"I bet you do," said Chiro. "What about Gibson? Why doesn't he date?"

There was a moment of silence where the two simply stared at each other. Then, simultaneously, they broke into laughter.

"Ha-ha! That's rich, kid."

"Y-yeah! Can you imagine it?" asked Chiro between laughs.

"I'm trying, but it's too painful! My gut is aching! Make it stop!" Sprx fell of the couch and began banging on the ground, trying to ease the pain of laughing.

Chiro wiped a tear from his eye. "Okay, enough fun at Gibson's expense."

"Fine," said Sprx. "Brain strain will just give us another reason to laugh at him tomorrow."

The previews ended, finally giving way to the main menu.

Chiro smirked. "What about Nova?"

Sprx blinked. "Huh?"

"Nova," repeated Chiro. "You think there's somebody out there for Nova?"

Sprx was very quiet when he replied. "I know there's somebody out there for Nova."

Chiro looked long and hard at his red friend before he spoke. "Could that somebody be you, Sprx?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, kid," said Sprx. The red monkey crossed his arms, refusing to meet Chiro's gaze.

"I'll just bet you don't," Chiro muttered to himself.

"Hmph." Sprx pressed the play button and the movie finally began to play. But as the main titles started to roll across the screen, Chiro stood up. The teen stretched and let out a mighty yawn.

"Actually, Sprx, I think I'm going to hit the sack." The red monkey looked crestfallen.

"Aw, seriously, kid? It's not going to be any fun watching this by myself." Chiro smiled.

"Yeah, sorry about that. But Antauri says I have a tactics lesson first thing in the morning, so I should probably get some sleep."

Sprx smiled. "Alright, kid. I understand. Don't let the bed bugs bite."

"No more than usual, anyway," replied Chiro. The pair shared a laugh, and then Chiro crossed the room to his tube. As he put one foot in the tube, Chiro turned around and called out to Sprx. "Oh, and Sprx?"

"Yeah, kid?"

"Like I said, I've seen this movie. The kindhearted scoundrel gets the girl." Without another word, Chiro stepped into the tube and was whisked off to his room.

This left Sprx alone in the main room, the faint light from the television screen barely revealing the small smile on the red simian's lips.

**

* * *

Gah! This isn't exactly how I planned it. I kept removing stuff and rewriting because they would make more sense as stories of their own.**

**But oh well. It turned out alright.**

**Next one will be an Otto/Mandarin Friendship piece. And I'm excited for it!**

**Spread the word:**

_**SAVE SEASON 5!**_


	21. Allies

**And so begins my journey towards two-fifths completion. Joy of joys!**

**This little number is an Otto/Mandarin Friendship piece.**

**The drama!**

Allies

_He would be coming to talk to him. He always came to him._

_They were allies._

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Otto was in his workshop, engrossed in a design for a zero-gravity motorcycle, when the sound of the door opening caused him to turn around.

Mandarin stood in the doorway. The orange monkey's face was unreadable, as usual.

"Hey, Mandarin," greeted Otto. The green monkey put on his goofy grin.

"I require a moment of your time, Otto," said Mandarin. "Please, stop whatever it is you're working on. This won't take long."

Otto pushed his design away and spun around in his chair, giving him a complete view of Mandarin. "Okay, sure. What's up?"

"So I assume you have not heard?" asked Mandarin. The orange simian marched into the room, and something about his posture struck Otto as…_off_.

"Uh, no. I've been in here all day working on that project you gave me," replied Otto. "Why, what happened?"

Mandarin came up next to Otto and leaned forward against the mechanic's design table. The orange leader did not look at Otto, instead staring at the wall.

"Today, in the training room, Antauri challenged my authority as team leader."

"What? Really?" asked Otto. "That doesn't sound like Antauri."

"Precisely," agreed Mandarin. "It's not representative of him. I would expect such behavior from Sprx, or perhaps Gibson if he was in the middle of an experiment, but never Antauri."

"Why did he do it?" asked Otto. With a sigh, Mandarin finally turned his gaze to the green primate.

"I'm not sure, Otto," admitted Mandarin. "But ever since I revealed my plan for the future of Shuggazoom, I've sensed a growing rift between us."

"Well, to be honest, your plan is a bit…_radical_," said Otto.

Mandarin slammed his fist on the table, making Otto jump. "I know that, Otto! But these are desperate times. I must do whatever I can to defeat the Skeleton King."

"But how does enslaving Shuggazoom help us do that?" asked Otto.

"No, no, no," said Mandarin, shaking his head vehemently. "Not enslaving, Otto. _Ruling_ Shuggazoom. How can we hope to protect these miserable creatures if they don't even know how to run their own lives? We need to impose order. It's the only option."

Otto swallowed a large lump in his throat. "I…I understand, Mandarin. But the others…they think you just want the citizens to _worship_ you."

"And they should!" exclaimed Mandarin. "It would be justified, considering all we do for them."

"But we help them because it's the right thing to do."

Mandarin waved Otto's words off. "Yes, yes, I know. Justice is its own reward. I didn't come here to talk about that."

"Then why are you here, Mandarin?" The orange monkey leaned against the wall and was quiet for a while.

"There's a battle coming, Otto," Mandarin said at last. "Not with Skeleton King, but within the team. I've longed hoped to avoid it; that I could make them understand. But I've come to realize that this conflict is unavoidable."

Otto nodded, a terrifying sense of dread overtaking him. "Uh-huh."

"I came here to ask for your help in the coming battle, Otto," admitted Mandarin. The orange monkey walked over to Otto and placed his hand on his shoulder. "You've always been my greatest ally; the one person I could count on and confide in. I ask that you continue that trend in the coming days."

"I…I understand, Mandarin," said Otto. The orange leader gave Otto's shoulder a squeeze.

"I'm glad to hear it." Mandarin stood up and made his way towards the door. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have other matters I must attend to. I would like the project finished by morning."

"Yeah, no problem," said Otto, his goofy grin returning.

"Excellent." The door closed behind Mandarin, leaving Otto very much alone.

"No problem," Otto muttered to himself. The green monkey slumped forward in his chair and covered his face with his hands. The room was silent for several long, painful seconds.

"I guess you heard what you were looking for?" Otto asked the empty room.

There was a rustling sound behind one of the large, half-finished engines that populated Otto's workshop. A shadowy figure stepped out from behind the engine. It was Antauri.

"Unfortunately, I did," replied the black furred simian. Antauri had never looked quite as serious as he did right then. "Thank you, Otto."

"Yeah. Sure." Antauri walked up to the green mechanic and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"This is hard on all of us, Otto," said Antauri. "And I know it's especially hard on you. But we must stop him. He won't see reason."

Otto gave a loud, wet sniff as he rubbed his arm across his moist eyes. "Yeah. Yeah, I know."

Giving Otto a friendly pat on the back, Antauri exited the workshop. After a few silent moments of thought, Otto turned around and resumed his work on the motorcycle.

88888

_He had come to him. He knew he would. And as a result, the team knew it was time for a coup. And he helped them do it. He had to._

_He was his greatest ally._

**

* * *

Just my idea on what happened before the team took down Mandarin.**

**I liked this one. I liked it from the moment the idea came to me.**

**Hope you folks enjoyed it.**

**Once more for emphasis:**

_**SAVE SEASON 5!**_


	22. Upgrading

**This was sort of a request by Ms. Sniggyfrumps. And as she is such a nice, slightly unhinged lady, I had to do it.**

**This poor guy doesn't get enough of anything from this fandom. Who is it, you ask?**

**Find out!**

Upgrading

_Tick-tock._

"There is a train of thought that proposes machines are the next step in evolution. What a ridiculous theory. Evolution is a naturally occurring phenomenon; a slow adaptation in DNA that can take millennia to show any true signs of change."

_Tick-tock._

"Machines, on the other hand, are unnatural. They only exist because creatures in the evolutionary process created them. Machines exist _outside_ evolution."

_Tick-tock_.

"No, machines aren't the next step in evolution, nor any step in it for that matter. They are instead an _upgrade_."

_Tick-tock._

"Machines represent a perfection that evolution could never attain, even given eternity to make its minute changes. They are an upgrade to evolution; a separate, superior path."

_Tick-tock._

"Life decays and dies; an unavoidable, pathetic result. Sickness, mental degradation, physical trauma; all weaknesses of beings formed by evolution."

_Tick-tock._

"Machines can only rust and break. But given the right resources, they can always be salvaged and rebuilt. Living organisms must rely on faulty medical science or their religious miracles for such things."

_Tick-tock._

"That is why machines are an upgrade to the outdated evolutionary process. They are superior."

_Tick-tock._

"And so I collect machines. They are the wonders of wonders; the pinnacle of existence."

_Tick-tock._

"If you haven't already noticed, I've replaced every aspect of my person with marvelous machines. All save my..ugh, ogreish, vile, _repulsive_ hands."

_Tick-tock._

"Which is why your appearance is so fortuitous, my red friend. Long have I searched for acceptable machines to upgrade my hands. Imagine my surprise when the perfect candidates found me instead!"

_Tick-tock._

"Oh, and they _are_ perfect. The craftsmanship is pristine; unparalleled in all my travels. And I've seen many a machine."

_Tick-tock._

"But what really sets them apart are the magnets. Magnetism, as I'm sure you know, is one of the few forces that has total power over machines."

_Tick-tock._

"So, logically, upgrading myself with the power of magnetism is just about the soundest strategy one can concoct!"

_Tick-tock._

"But enough of my prattling about! Let's get on with the removal and installation!"

_Tick-tock._

"I'm sorry, old bean, but I haven't any anesthetic to offer you. I have no need of such slop myself, you see."

_Tick-tock._

"Do please try and keep a stiff upper lip while I go about this. If you squirm I may damage your fine hands. And neither of us wants that, now do we?"

_Tick-tock._

"Oh! And worry not! I shall not leave you without grasping appendages! I may be heartless in the literal sense, but figuratively I assure you I am capable of great compassion."

_Tick-tock._

"Once I have removed your marvelous mitts, I shall give you my old hands! How does that sound? An upgrade for an upgrade, eh wot?"

_Tick-tock._

**

* * *

Da Hell? A Scrapperton/Sprx's Hands story! OMFGWTFBBQROFLMAO!**

**This was fun to write. No details, just dialogue. Lots of fun, fun dialogue. I like writing dialogue, you see.**

**Hope you enjoyed it, Sniggs. Sorry there weren't any masturbation jokes. Blatant ones, anyway. But I told you it'd be more serious than it sounded.**

**Next story will be a Sprx/Mystery Participant. You may be surprised by who it is!**

**Keep it real:**

_**SAVE SEASON 5!**_


	23. Flight

**We should all Wang Chung tonight.**

**Or, barring that, you guys should at least read and enjoy this Sprx pairing oneshot!**

**I will still be Wang Chunging, of course.**

Flight

Flying. Soaring. Aviating. Piloting. Falling with style. Call it whatever you want. No matter what name it went by, one thing always remained constant.

Sprx _loved_ it.

In the red monkey's opinion, nothing could compare to the sensation of flight. That feeling of being lighter than air, of telling gravity to take a hike; there was nothing else quite like it in all the universe.

On the ground Sprx was just average, though he'd never admit that. He wasn't the combat specialist like Nova. He didn't invent useful, or even useless, contraptions the way Otto did. Sprx did not push the intellectual envelope like Gibson; though that was another thing the red monkey would never admit. He wasn't even the leader or spiritual guide like Chiro and Antauri were. And the role of pretty face was held by Jinmay, if only just.

No, on the ground Sprx wasn't much more than a smart-mouth with magnetic fists who rarely fought metallic foes.

But in the air; in the air Sprx was akin to perfection. Name any aerial maneuver and he could do it while in a coma. Barrel roll, Hammerhead, Chandelle; he had mastered them all. He had even invented some of his own, like the Shuggazoom Shuffle and the Nova; the namesake of the latter was unaware of its existence.

To Sprx, flying was a gift. It was something that, even on his worst day, the red simian could do better than anybody else. It gave him a purpose; a reason for simply _being_.

But what Sprx really enjoyed about flying, what made him _love_ it so much, was the fact that flying was a real-world representation on how he saw things.

Flying always had a definitive beginning and end. You took off, you flew, and you landed. Whether you crashed or not was up to your skills as a pilot.

This was exactly how Sprx viewed the world. To the red monkey everything had a beginning, and everything had an end. This held true for the seemingly never ending battle against evil the Hyperforce constantly found itself fighting. The battle had definitely had a beginning, and it most certainly would have an ending.

_And it could have been over by now if it wasn't for Brain Strain_.

Sprx was still furious with Gibson for failing to retrieve the Ice Crystal of Vengeance. All the blue monkey had needed to do was hold on to the blasted thing, and he couldn't even do that. And as a result, Mandarin and Valina were one step closer to resurrecting ol' Skullhead.

_Not if I have anything to say about it._

Sprx would not allow the resurrection to happen. He would get the next piece before Mandarin and Valina. He would not make the same mistake Gibson had made. He would be strong. He would get the piece, and then the team could lock it away or destroy it or whatever they needed to do. He would end this conflict once and for all.

And then he would finally be able to focus on more important things.

Like flying.

**

* * *

Another odd pairing! Sprx/Flying? Logical, but still not a run-of-the-mill pairing.**

**Oh, yes. I would be plagiarizing if I did not give Sniggyfrumps her do. There is a part in here that is heavily influenced by her story "Looking at stars." Which part is it? Well, you'll just have to read her work to find out. You'll recognize it when you see it.**

**Oh, and BTW, it's a threeshot. So you'll have to read through all of them to find it! Or, you could use your brain and figure out the one story it would be in. So, you know, be lame if you must.**

**And do be good little minions and leave her reviews if you read her story. Poor little girl is **_**starved**_** for attention.**

**But not as much as I am! Leave me your requests and feedback! But mainly your requests! I don't care about your opinions! That's why I post on a site that allows for public comments!**

**Next story will be **_**another**_** Sprx story. A Sprx/Jinmay friendship to be precise.**

**Enough of my blabbering:**

_**SAVE SEASON 5!**_


	24. Magnetism

**You guys ready for yet another Sprx story? Because I am! Sprx is my homie!**

**Sprx/Jinmay story for you guys!**

**Get it while it's lukewarm!**

Magnetism

_On all of Shuggazoom, there was no better view of the night sky than from the top of the Super Robot. Most nights would find anywhere from one member to the entire team enjoying the cosmic lightshow._

_On this particular night there were only two teammates atop the Super Robot: Sprx and Jinmay._

88888

"Nice night, huh?"

"Yeah."

"It sure is amazing to see all those stars."

"Yeah."

"You ever wonder how many there are?"

"Yeah."

"…"

Sprx crossed his arms and gazed up at the sky. That was how all of his conversations seemed to go with Jinmay. Anytime he tried to chat with Jinmay, she would show her disinterest and end the dialogue almost immediately. She was never rude or anything along those lines. She just seemed…_distant_. Uncomfortable, even.

Even now, as they sat on the Super Robot's noggin and gazed at the night sky, Jinmay felt distant. The feeling was only compounded by the fact that she was sitting far away from him. Well, that wasn't _entirely_ accurate. She wasn't on the other side of the robot, but she wasn't exactly snuggling up to him either.

Now Sprx was a realistic monkey. He didn't expect her to be right next to him; he wasn't Chiro, after all. But Jinmay wasn't even a friendly distance apart. Sprx couldn't even reach out and put a comforting hand on her shoulder, she was so far away. And, the red primate realized, maybe that was precisely what she wanted. Maybe Jinmay _wanted_ to have time to react in case Sprx made any kind of move. The thought wounded the red simian.

Of course he could just be reading too far into all of it. But Sprx was a pilot, and any good pilot knew you had to trust your gut. And Sprx's gut was telling him that something was off.

"You know I'm not really that big of a pervert, right?"

Jinmay turned away from the stars and gave Sprx a confused look. "Excuse me?"

"I'm not going to make a move on your or anything like that," Sprx explained with a smile. "You don't have to sit so far away."

"Oh." Jinmay blinked, processing Sprx's words. "_Oh_! No, no! I know you're not a pervert Sprx. I just…like my personal space is all."

"But not when you're around Chiro?" Jinmay gave Sprx an oh-behave look.

"That's different and you know it. Chiro and I are _supposed_ to be close. It's a couple thing."

Sprx nodded. "Yeah, I agree with that. But you don't have a problem sitting close to Nova."

"She's a girl. Girls are much more comfortable with that than guys are."

"And I've seen you cuddle Otto a couple of times."

Jinmay giggled. "Well, can you blame me? He's like a green teddy bear."

"I wouldn't really know about that. But I _do_ know you have no problem hanging around Gibson and Antauri."

Jinmay let out an exasperated sigh. "Okay, Sprx. What are you getting at?"

"I'm saying that you have no problem sharing your personal space with everybody else on the team," explained Sprx. "Everybody except me."

"…oh."

Several minutes of silence passed before Sprx finally voiced the question that had been bugging him for so long.

"What is it about me that makes you so uncomfortable, Jinmay?"

Jinmay began chewing on her lower lip as she turned her head away from Sprx, refusing to answer the question.

"Is it my flirtatious nature?" asked Sprx. Jinmay shook her head. "You can tell me if it is. I'd understand. Just know that I'd _never_ do anything to make you, or any female, uncomfortable."

"I know that, Sprx," Jinmay said, finally adding her voice to the conversation. "I know you're just a kind-hearted flirt. That's not what makes me uncomfortable."

"So I _do_ make you uncomfortable, then." Jinmay quickly covered her mouth with her hands, refusing to believe she'd let that slip. Sprx simply smiled.

"I am so sorry, Sprx," apologized Jinmay. "I…I didn't mean to say it like that."

Sprx waved her apology off. "Don't even worry about it, Jinmay. I'm just glad we're getting somewhere. So what is it about me that makes you uncomfortable? You can tell me; I won't judge."

"Well…" Jinmay's voice trailed off, and the pink-haired girl began fussing with the hem of her outfit.

"Is it the fact that my fur looks pink if the lighting is just right?" asked Sprx, a smirk playing across his lips. "Because if that's the case, let me assure you that it's _light red_. Don't worry; you still have the best, and only, pink hair on the team."

Jinmay laughed, letting Sprx know he had succeeded in easing her nerves. "That's not _exactly_ the reason, Sprx."

"I didn't think so," admitted Sprx. "So please, what's the _real_ reason I make you uncomfortable?"

Jinmay's laughter faded as a frown replaced her smile. "Alright, Sprx. It's only fair you should know."

Sprx smiled comfortingly and motioned for her to go on. "I'm all ears."

"Well, to be honest, it's…it's your _magnets_ that make me uncomfortable."

Sprx blinked. "My magnets?"

Jinmay nodded. "Yes. I'm sorry, Sprx. I know it's silly, but…"

"My magnets." Sprx transformed his hands into the offending objects and studied them closely.

Jinmay moved an imperceptible distance away. "Sprx? What…what are you doing?"

"My magnets!" Sprx suddenly stood up, a small grin on his face. "I should have known. Of course my magnets would make you uncomfortable! You're a robot."

"Yes, but it is still rather silly of me to-"

"It's not silly," Sprx stated emphatically with a shake of his head. "When the Alchemist first gave me my magnets, the rest of the team was wary of me. And I was wary of them. I mean, one wrong move and I could rip them, or myself, apart!"

Jinmay nodded, the look on her face showing that the image of Sprx accidentally ripping the team apart wasn't helping her get over her discomfort. Still, despite the girl's apparent discomfort, Sprx continued to grin.

"But don't you see? We were looking at these magnets the wrong way. They don't _have_ to be used to rip apart machines," explained Sprx. "They can be used for so much more!"

"Like what?" asked Jinmay. The teen robot was still wary, but her interest was perked.

Sprx's grin broadened. "I'll show you."

The red monkey pointed his magnets at Jinmay, and the girl had never been so scared in her life. "S-Sprx? What are you-?"

"Now just remember, Jinmay. This is going to hurt me a lot more than it will hurt you. Probably."

Without warning, magnetic energy shot out from Sprx's magnets and enveloped Jinmay.

"Sprx!"

Jinmay's scream of terror quickly devolved into incoherent babbling mixed with riotous laughter.

"Ha-ha! S-stop it, Sprx! Hehe. I…I can't take it anymore! I'm going to-to power down if you don't, ha-ha, stop!"

"As you wish." Smiling, Sprx powered down his magnets and released Jinmay from the magnetic field. The red monkey offered Jinmay his hand. Still fighting the odd chuckle, Jinmay took his hand and allowed herself to be pulled off the ground, where she had been laying in an unceremonious heap.

"What was…what was _that_?" asked Jinmay, her tone revealing no traces of anger or discomfort.

"That, my friend, was the mechanical equivalent of being tickled," explained Sprx. "It was one of the first things I learned to do with my magnets. It drives Nova _crazy_."

Jinmay brushed some loose strands of hair behind her ear. "That's amazing, Sprx. I would have never thought magnets could do something like that."

"That's why I worked so hard to invent it," said Sprx. "I wanted to show everybody, including myself, that I wasn't some monster to be feared. I wanted to prove that I was still one of them. Still a member of the team."

With a smile, Jinmay bent over and picked up Sprx, capturing him in a warm hug.

"You'll always be a member of _my_ team, Sparky."

Sprx winced. "Don't call me Sparky."

Jinmay grinned mischievously. "I'll call you whatever I want as long as I can break your back with a flex of my arms."

"I knew there was a reason I liked you," said Sprx, a smirk forming on his lips.

Chuckling, Jinmay once again sat down on the edge of the Robot. Only this time she held Sprx on her lap and rested her chin on his head. The red simian couldn't help chuckling to himself.

_Well, she's comfortable enough to get close to me now. Although I never intended for her to get this close. Oh, curse my animal magnetism!_

88888

_Smiling and laughing, the newly bonded friends spent an hour stargazing before falling asleep, curled up together beneath the warm, almost grinning, night sky._

**

* * *

SHAMELESS PLUG TIME!**

**Inspiration for this story is credited to beautybelle300256 and her story "Drabbles." It's a lot like "Relacien": a compilation of oneshots that deal with the SRMTHFG Universe. She, however, doesn't limit herself to pairings like I do here. And her drabbles are MUCH shorter than my protracted ramblings.**

**Anyway, she had a Sprx/Jinmay friendship story and the pairing gave me an idea for a story of my own. So, I stole it! Hope this worked for you, Belle! Looks like I stole your shtick again!**

**(Oh, and please go check out Belle's works. She was one of the first authors I read here, and she's been great to me from Alpha to Omega. She did get a bit dodgy around Gamma, but who doesn't? So go R&R her stellar work. It's far less time-consuming than the tabloid slop I post!)**

**Next story is going to be an Antauri/Otto brothers thingy, per a request. It will be written and posted after I finish the next chapter of my other story "SPRX-77, Private Eye." I'm going to alternate updates, you see. Organizational Preparedness!**

**Speaking of organizations:**

_**SAVE SEASON 5!**_


	25. Transmission

**Yes, this was supposed to be an Antauri/Otto brother/friendship thing. But then I realized it was the 25****th**** oneshot in Relacien, and I felt I needed to do something special about that.**

**And what's more special than SPOVA?**

Transmission

_Incoming Transmission._

_Location: Unknown_

_Accept?_

"…"

_Transmission Accepted_

"Greetings from the far corners of the galaxy!"

"Sprx! Is that really you?"

"Oh…hi, Nohvs. Yeah, it's me."

"You haven't contacted us in months! We were beginning to fear the worst."

"Come on, Nova. You know you're not lucky enough to get rid of me like that."

"A girl can dream."

"Heh."

"…"

"So what _have_ you been up to?"

"Oh, you know. Just kind of wandering. Got some work transporting freight. Did a little bounty hunting. The usual."

"I see. The kindhearted scoundrel roaming the galaxy, righting wrongs?"

"I'm working on the movie rights as we speak."

"Ha. I'm sure."

"…"

"How are things going with the team?"

"We're…still adjusting. Gibson won't accept that you're really gone."

"Brain strain did always have trouble seeing the obvious."

"He still does. Otto and Chiro have also taken it pretty rough. They're not sure what to do with a two-person-trio."

"I'm sure their pranks lack the same sense of organization and flair. Is it safe to say that Antauri is more or less unfazed?"

"Mr. Chalk-It-Up-To-Fate? Yeah, he shrugged it off the moment you walked out the door."

"Shocker. What about logistically? How are you guys dealing with the Fist Rocket?"

"Otto refit the Fist Rocket for Jinmay, and she got the hang of it pretty quickly. But she still can't fly it quite as well as you did."

"That's not really fair to her. Nobody could hold a candle to me."

"Still modest as ever I see, Sparky."

"What can I say? Humility is in my nature. And don't call me that."

"I'll call you whatever I want."

"You always did."

"…"

"Anything major happen? Zombie invasions or exploding suns?"

"A few minor emergencies. Nothing we couldn't handle, of course."

"There's not much you guys can't handle."

"You'd know that better than most."

"…"

"How…how are you guys doing?"

"I already told you. We're still adjusting."

"No I…I mean how are _you guys_ doing."

"Oh…we're fine. Very happy. We have a few bumps here and there, but what relationship doesn't?"

"Yeah. That's…that's good to hear."

"…"

"Sprx, if my relationship was what caused you to leave I-"

"Don't even, Nova. It was my decision and mine alone. There's no guilt."

"I mean, if I had just known that you-"

"I said there's no guilt, Nova. No guilt."

"Yeah, sure."

"…"

"Can you…can you at least tell me where you are?"

"I…don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not? Why can't you just tell me where you are? A surrounding area, even."

"Just…no. Okay? It's just not a good idea."

"But-"

"_Please_, Nohvs. Just drop it."

"…fine."

"…"

"Well, uh, I guess I should get going. Don't, uh…want to keep you."

"Sure."

"I'll…I'll call you guys soon, okay?"

"Yeah, sure."

"You, um, you guys take care of yourselves. Be safe, Nova."

"Yeah. Same."

"…"

_Transmission Terminated_

"…"

"That always was your problem, Sprx. You never could just tell me something."

**

* * *

And there we have it. Story #25 is in the books.**

**This story is dedicated to beautybelle. She knows why.**

**Next story should be Antauri/Otto brotherhood type thing.**

**Until then:**

_**SAVE SEASON 5!**_


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